The Darkness Is Coming
by Pliva
Summary: Complete. The Doctor, the Master, Donna and Jenny are an odd group but they save the world anyway. The new drums are more dangerous than the Master knows, and he and the Doctor will have to face a part of their past they forgot. S4 Rewrite, Master/Doctor
1. Planet of the Ood

A/N: This chapter has been edited by my fabulous new beta, Nic!

A rocket burned across the surface of the frozen planet before landing at the only complex of buildings on its surface. Guards ran everywhere to assure that everything was working for the arrival, and two men emerged from the rocket to everyone's relief.

The two men looked around at the icy landscape with distaste as they followed the guards to the buildings.

"Freezing." The first man said, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Of course the Ood would choose to live in a place like this."

"They don't choose anything." The second man said, watching his companion down a shot glass. "Does that stuff actually work?"

He shrugged. "Bit by bit. Like to try it? Sigma, give one to him." The Ood nodded obediently and handed the man a glass. He sniffed the amber liquid and his face wrinkled in displeasure.

"You drink this stuff?" He asked incredulously as he gave it to the man who gulped it down.

"If it doesn't work on it's own, power of suggestion will." He replied confidently.

"Oh, I'm sure it's working." The second man said with a glance towards Sigma, who calmly gazed back. "Anyway, let's see what you've got."

"Not much." the first man sighed as they started towards the massive complex before them. "Just find out what's wrong with the Ood."

"Pushy, pushy." The second man muttered before nodding.

"It's what you're here for."

"Or so you would think." muttered the second man under his breath.

*

"Follow the rocket!" The Doctor called to Donna as they tromped through the snow. "That's what I love. A good game of Follow-the-Rocket."

"You'd love a good game of Follow-the-Shiny-Keys." Donna replied with a grin. The Doctor had set the TARDIS to random and it had landed them on a snowy planet. While the Doctor was content to track around in his well-loved brown coat, Donna had pulled out her fur coat.

"At this point..." The Doctor began jokingly but trailed off with a distracted look on his face.

"Oh what is it?" Donna asked when she saw he wasn't following him.

"It's just..." The Doctor muttered and tapped his head distractedly. "There's a lot of physic waves going through the air. I can sense one thing and hear something else."

"What is it?" Donna asked when the Doctor caught up to her.

"I don't know. I think they're unrelated. But they both seem so familiar." The Doctor's eyebrows pulled together as his faced scrunched up in thought.

"Well you can think and walk at the same time." Donna finally said as they looked around at the frozen landscape. "At least, you should be able to, judging by your previous performances."

"Right." The Doctor replied distantly as they resumed their trek. They came around a corner and the Doctor stopped again.

"What?" Donna asked again with frustration as the Doctor paused to listen.

"Take off your hood. Can you hear that?" He aimlessly gestured around with his hand. "It's like a song. Someone's... singing."

"I can't hear anything." Donna pointedly looked at the Doctor's clothes. "Sure the cold isn't getting to you? That's what you wore in Pompeii. How can you be warm?"

The Doctor ignored her as he noticed a body lying in the snow. "Come on, it's coming from over here!"

His hearts fell when he saw the Ood lying in the snow. The snow covered it and it looked frozen, and the Doctor knew he probably couldn't do anything to help it. Still, he had to try.

"Oh my God. That's..." Donna gasped in surprised when she saw the Ood's face. She couldn't help but think of old horror movies she had seen as a kid when she saw its grey skin and many tentacles.

"Donna." The Doctor admonished as he looked up. "Not now. He needs our help."

"What...?"

"He's an Ood." The Doctor replied as he looked for a heart. "I don't know if he even has a heart."

"It's going to be all right. He's a Doctor." She hesitantly bent down and brushed some of the snow off of the Ood's chest. "What's your name?"

The Ood weakly gripped the small white ball connected to his mouth. "Designated Ood Delta Fifty."

"My name is Donna, Delta Fifty. Nice to meet you." She smiled weakly and glanced at the Doctor. "How is he?"

"He's been shot. What happened?" The Doctor asked, firmly applying pressure to his gunshot wound.

"The... The Circle." Delta Fifty struggled to talk. "The Circle must be broken."

"Circle?" The Doctor asked, racking his brain for the reference. Nothing likely came to mind. "Delta Fifty, what circle?"

"Don't make him talk." Donna cried in alarm as Delta Fifty relaxed into the snow.

"Delta Fifty?" The Doctor asked again as he gently prodded the wounded Ood in the shoulder. Delta Fifty slowly turned to look at the Doctor before opening his eyes revealing a violent red. It was only the Doctor's quick reflexes that got Donna out of range as the Ood lunged at them before falling back in the snow.

"The song's gone. Well, much fainter now that he's...gone." The Doctor said; letting Donna return to the Ood's side when he was sure Delta Fifty was dead.

"We were too late." Donna replied before straightening up. "Why would someone shoot him?" The Doctor looked at the ground, where the Ood's disappearing footprints came from the west. He could sense the second presence stirring in that direction.

"Let's find out."

*

The two men walked with their guards to the entrance of the Ood complex where they were predictably greeted by the two highest-ranking staff.

"Mr. Halpen sir, I'm Doctor Ryder, head of Ood management. You must be Doctor Alexander Tolkien." Ryder held out his hand to shake their hands, but only Tolkien accepted it.

"How many dead?" Halpen interrupted, batting Ryder's hand away. "I invited Doctor Tolkien here because he's an expert on alien abnormalities, something that is clearly beyond you. Who's that?" He asked, nodding towards the sleek woman standing next to Ryder, waiting to be introduced.

"Solana Mercurio. I'm the head of marketing and galactic liaison." She replied holding out her hand and receiving the same reaction as Ryder.

"The buyers are en-route, yes?" He asked after Tolkien shook her hand, lingering a bit longer than he had to.

"Yes, sir. The presentation was scheduled in advance and it would present a bad image to cancel."

"Well then let's get out of this horrid cold and get to the point." Halpen brushed past them to get to the door. "No wonder this place is going to the dogs if all you lot do is talk."

"Ignore him." Tolkien advised as Ryder and Solana glanced at each other. "He's just a little grumpy. He gets rocket sickness."

"So, do you think you can help with the Ood problem?" Solana asked Tolkien while Halpen asked Ryder questions ahead of them on the walk to the office.

"I might." Tolkien turned his head and winked at her. "And if I can't, at least I didn't waste a trip." Solana blushed and held back a giggle.

"On company time?" She teased. Tolkien nodded.

"Oh, I'm very dedicated. I'm even willing to go overtime." Solana smiled again as Tolkien held the door open for her and she walked into the office with an extra bounce in her step. Tolkien turned to look at the guards who followed them everywhere.

"I know, I know. I'm a Doctor and a pretty face. I'm sorry boys, better luck next time." he told them before following the rest into the office. The guards looked at each other and rolled eyes as they settled into their posts outside the door.

"In the past financial quarter we've had three deaths." Solana began, showing footage of an Ood using his translator ball to kill the former complex manager.

"Oh..." Tolkien interrupted, moving closer to the screen. "How did they die?"

"We thought they were heart attacks or accidents in the production process, but after we caught this on film..."

"How are they doing that?" Halpen asked, gruffly turning to Ryder.

"Right now we have no idea, but..."

"Using electromagnetic currants." Tolkien interrupted, straightening up from observing the tape. "It would disrupt the heart enough to look like a heart attack or getting an electric shock from equipment."

"And you couldn't tell that?" Halpen asked. "He takes one look and knows what it is. What do we pay you for?"

"Now, now. Play nice." Tolkien tutted. Solana and Ryder straightened and glanced at Halpen but he ignored Tolkien's words.

"How are they using electromagnetic currants? That's what we need to know."

"Well, their translator balls are connected to their brains, correct? They might have the ability to concentrate the natural currants in their brain without harming it. How, I can't tell you. But that's what they're doing."

"Red Eye." Halpen finally said after a moment's pause.

"We have to assume, sir. We weren't able to confirm it, though. The Ood ran off into the wild but a guard managed to shoot it. It must be dead by now." Ryder explained.

"Red Eye?" Tolkien asked, his interest perking.

"Infection in the Ood." Ryder replied. "It makes their eyes change colour. It isn't bacterial or viral, though, so I can't find the source." Halpen groaned.

"Drink." He called to Sigma.

"No alcohol in the complex, by-" Solana began, but Halpen cut her off.

"Hair tonic." He explained. As Halpen drank it Tolkien moved out of his sight and mouthed 'Doesn't work.'

Solana pursed her lips to keep from smiling.

"So!" Tolkien chirped after Halpen motioned for Sigma to collect the tonic glass. "Buyers are coming, correct?"

"Oh, yes. Sir, I have to get ready." Solana said bowing slightly in apology.

"Yes, yes go on." Halpen said as he waved her away. "Ryder, go get more reports on the Ood's physical condition for Doctor Tolkien." As Ryder scurried away to fetch the files the office rumbled. The rocket transporting the buyers arrived.

"Nothing better go wrong." Halpen grumbled before deciding to have another tonic.

"Oh, complex full of representatives for big name companies while the Ood they are meant to buy are turning homicidal? How could that go wrong?" Halpen glared at him in response.

"Don't get cheeky, Tolkien."

"Don't get bossy, Halpen." Tolkien replied, his eyes darkening slightly. "You can't silence me if I choose to talk. You can't kill me here because all my contacts know I'm here. I've taken precautions."

"I'm sure you have." Halpen muttered from his desk. Tolkien smirked as an alarm broke the silence that filled the office.

"Who sounded the alarm?" Halpen exclaimed as he activated his communicator. "Kess, you'd better have a good reason."

"Ood with Red Eye on the loose, sir." Commander Kess's voice crackled through the device. They heard shouting as some soldiers found something, presumably the wayward Ood.

"Take care of it, Kess. We've got buyers." Halpen hissed and ended the transmission before glancing up at Tolkien. "Not a word."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Tolkien replied and wandered over to the security camera remote to watch the buyers' meeting as another transmission arrived from Kess.

"Sir, the Ood has Red Eye, but it's gotten worse. It's rabid now."

"Damn it! Drink, Sigma." Halpen ordered before replying. "Get it out of sight and then bring it to Ryder. Now!"

"At least your hair is growing back." Tolkien offered. Halpen immediately got up and hurried to the mirror.

"Really? You think so?"

"Defiantly doing something." Tolkien muttered as Halpen bent over and fussed in the mirror for a full five minutes.

"Sir," a guard knocked at the door. "Commander Kess has secured the Ood and Doctor Ryder feels Doctor Tolkien should see it."

"If it's gone rabid I most defiantly should." Tolkien replied before turning to Halpen. "Coming?" Halpen glanced at his desk where Sigma had placed the financial reports for him to look over.

"Yes."

*

"Defiantly rabid." Tolkien calmly observed as Halpen flinched with each lunge the Ood gave. "Foaming at the mouth was a big hint, of course."

"Next stage of Red Eye." Ryder supplied.

"Yes, thank you. Hadn't worked that out."

"Have you seen this before, Sigma?" Halpen asked the other Ood.

"We look to humanity for guidance." Sigma replied in his pleasant translator box provided voice.

"Of course you do."

"If I may," Tolkien said. "I'd like to take a walk around the facility. I'll stay within sight of the guards, of course."

"I may need to see Warehouse Fifteen." Ryder added hesitantly. "If that is the Ood's point of origin." Halpen glared at the scientist.

"It's been two centuries and nothing has changed."

"But it's the only place I haven't checked."

Halpen took another shot glass from Sigma.

"Fine. But Tolkien, you're not coming."

"Hiding something? Very well. But I might have to apply pressure to see it if I can't find anything wrong with the other warehouses." Tolkien warned.

"Then ask Ryder what he saw." Halpen snapped.

"I think I will." Tolkien replied with false politeness before he turned on his heel and left.

"Shoot the Ood." Halpen ordered the guard before turning to Ryder. "Come on, then."

Tolkien waited until the two men were out of sight before turning to the guard Halpen had assigned him.

"Listen, I'm going to go have a drink at the buyer's meeting and have a nice chat with Solana. Do you want to come, or do you want me to relieve you of your duties?"

"I would like a break, sir." The soldier admitted.

"Then go ahead." Tolkien replied with a nod and turned the corner as if to go to meet the buyers. His guard continued straight forward and didn't look back, so he never saw the smirk on Tolkien's face.

"Well that was pathetically easy." He muttered to himself before turning and continuing on his way. He might have a little fun with Solana before he left after all. The trip to the buyers' meeting didn't take very long and soon he was warm with a drink in his hand. He sidled over to Solana, who was talking rapidly to a guard.

"Everything okay?" He asked as she reached for her communicator.

"No." She shook her head. "We have two people who have snuck on base."

"Who?" Tolkien asked with a tip of his head.

"Donna Noble and Doctor Noble." Tolkien coughed into his drink.

"Doctor _Noble_?" Solana nodded.

"Do you know him?"

"I've met him. If he's poking around it isn't good for this company, I assure you." Tolkien turned and drank the rest of his drink while Solana alerted Halpen. So, he was right when he came here.

"How did they slip in?" Tolkien asked Solana after she ended her conversation with Halpen.

"We don't know. They had the proper papers, but they were fake. A Fake corporation, and probably fake names. Is he really called Doctor Noble?" She asked, nervously scanning the room with her eyes, worried that something would go wrong. Well, worried something _else_ would go wrong.

"I'm sure they're doing nothing more than taking a tour. I doubt he'd ever resort to violence." Tolkien assured the jittery woman and handed her another drink to calm her nerves. Unfortunately another alarm went off, and Solana handed the drink back and hurried to assure the buyers that all was well. Tolkien smirked to himself and downed both drinks before following her out of the room.

"I thought you said he wouldn't resort to violence." Solana hissed after getting coordinates from Kess. Apparently they were in one of the warehouses that housed the containers the Ood were to be shipped in.

"I doubt he did. He was probably teaching them to sing 'We Shall Overcome' when Kess found them."

"What?" Solana gave him an exasperated look as they reached the warehouse.

"Open the doors!" She ordered the soldiers. They obeyed just in time to see a giant metal claw whizzing by them as a skinny man ran past several rows ahead of them.

"Solana," Tolkien announced pleasantly, "If anyone kills the Doctor I might have to kill them right back." Solana ignored him as she was already running towards Kess to stop him. Tolkien watched as the Doctor tripped over empty barrels and landed flat on his back. Kess let out a bark of triumph as he moved the crane directly above him and smacked his hand down on the release button. Tolkien's hand sneaked inside his jacket as the claw descended upon the Doctor, who was resigning himself to an undignified but rather dramatic death. It stopped short a foot above him, bouncing slightly on its metal chain as Solana promised Kess several disciplinary actions before the end of the day.

"Good work Solana." Tolkien muttered to her as she and the commander climbed down from the control station. Kess brushed past them as his soldiers grabbed the Doctor off of the ground.

"Doctor! They're going to kill me" Donna bellowed from one of the containers.

"I'd let her out." Tolkien muttered to Solana. "He'll stop at nothing if his companion is killed by you."

"Open the container." Solana ordered and the Doctor soon found himself with an armful of red head.

"Donna, you're safe!" The Doctor told her with a grin, making a point of not looking at the soldiers and their guns.

"We have to get out of here; the Ood in there have Red Eye!" Her announcement was interrupted by a scream as the Ood started pouring out of the open door of the container.

"You didn't think to close the door!?" Tolkien shouted as soldiers fell to the Ood. The Doctor's head jerked at the sound of his voice, but was distracted as Kess yelled out orders and began firing at the Ood. Solana gasped and Tolkien grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the line of fire as the other container doors swung open to reveal more infected Ood.

"Donna!" The Doctor yelled and dragged her away from the gunfight as the bullets started ricocheting off the metal containers, Solana and Tolkien following suit. The four of them stumbled out of the warehouse and Tolkien stopped to shut it tightly.

"Keep running." He ordered Solana causing the Doctor to look back as they rounded the corner, but he was out of sight by the time Tolkien pulled out his laser screwdriver.

"If people on Earth knew what you were enslaving these Ood-" Donna began, but Solana interrupted her with an irritated stare.

"Don't be so stupid. They know, of course they know. You can't sell something like this and have no one know."

"And everyone's fine with this! That's what the future is?" Donna exclaimed.

"They don't ask. They don't want to know."

"Solana," The Doctor asked as gunshots echoed across the base "A species can't evolve to serve. What do you do to the Ood to make them so subservient?"

"That is the question of the hour." Tolkien said, coming around the corner as he slipped his screwdriver back into his coat pocket. The Doctor spun around to stare at him. And continued to stare in bewilderment.

"Hang on," Donna said, looking at the new arrival. "That's Harold Saxon! What is the dead Prime Minister doing here?"

"That's Alexander Tolkien." Solana told her. "He's an expert in alien diseases. We called him in to look at the Red Eye."

"If he didn't cause Red Eye." The Doctor muttered, narrowing his eyes at the other man as he came to stand in front of him.

"What, no hug?"

"No." was the short reply.

"Oh come on. Even the Freak got a kiss when he came back." The Master replied with a mock pout.

"What are you talking about?" Solana asked him in alarm. "Doctor Tolkien, how exactly do you know this man?"

"Oh, we grew up together." The Master replied pleasantly. "We came from the same planet."

"Wait." Donna gasped. "I voted for an alien?"

"Time Lord, Donna. I don't go around calling you human." he paused. "Well, not anymore at least. Or rather, not so far. Today."

"Doctor Tolkien, what are you talking about?" Solana asked again, a little desperately.

"Tolkien?" The Doctor interrupted. "Tolkien!? As in Lord of the Rings?"

"No, as in Lord of the Dance. Anyway you can't talk. I'm surprised you didn't sign in as 'John Smith'!"

"First of all-" The Doctor began but stopped as the sounds of bullets reached them again. "Right! The Ood. Solana, how are Ood created?"

"I don't know! I'm head of PR, not Ood development. That's Doctor Ryder."

"Then show me where he is on this map. I'm a Doctor, as well. I really am. I can help with the Red Eye" The Doctor held up the map so she could point.

"I came to help with the Red Eye too, you know. But I don't get righteous about it." The Master commented as Solana hesitantly pointed it out.

"You stay out of this." The Doctor snapped with a fierce glare.

"Don't talk about him that way. He stood up for you. He said you weren't..." Solana trailed off and whirled to look at the Master. "You were working with them!"

"Actually, no I wasn't." The Master replied, looking at the woman. "I came to help the Ood. You can help, too."

"He's right." The Doctor added reluctantly before taking control of the conversation. "You know this place better than I do. You can end this."

"Please help, Solana The only people who ever have a chance of surviving are the ones who help the Doctor." The Doctor turned to look at the other Time Lord but he was looking square at Solana, who was glancing back and forth between them.

"They're..." Solana trailed off then cleared her throat with determination. "Guards! They're over here." The Doctor winced at the betrayal but grabbed Donna's hand and yanked her into a run.

"Good luck, Solana Mercurio." The Master whispered to her before following the Doctor and Donna, catching up to the pair as soldiers tromped behind them. Solana watched him go with regret before turning on her communicator.

"Mr Halpen, I found the Doctor. He's heading towards Ood Conversion. But... Doctor Tolkien went with him. It appears he might have a false identity. They knew each other."

"Lying bastard." Halpen's voice muttered from the device. "I'm on my way. I'll get them, don't you worry."

*

"I forgot you do a lot of running." The Master complained as they dodged another set of guards. "I hate the running."

"No, you get your exercise coming back to life apparently."

"Well one of us has too. We don't all have a martyr complex." That earned him a dark look from the Doctor.

"I'm not the one who dies just to spite someone else."

"No, because when you die it's going to be protecting the human race as a, what's it called again? Oh yeah. Martyr."

"Oi" Donna interrupted, smacking them on their arms. "You two obviously have a long talk coming your way. Let's do it when we're not being hunted while aliens are going insane and killing everyone, yeah?"

"Fine." The Doctor muttered as they turned a corner as the soldiers ran past them in the opposite direction.

"Damn singing's giving me a headache." The Master groaned as they found the Ood conversion building.

"Didn't even need the map, we could have followed the song." The Doctor said as he opened the door and held it open for Donna, reluctantly doing the same for the Master.

"Are you locking us in?" Donna asked as the Doctor applied his sonic to the door lock.

"There's going to be a back door, Miss Noble." The Master replied. "The map says this is Ood Conversion. They'd have to have a fire exit, at least."

"You're missing the point. Listen." The Doctor reached into his pockets and pulled out a flashlight.

"Singing. Yes, Doctor. I've been commenting on it since the running began."

"It's louder in here."

"I can't hear anything." Donna said as she followed the two Time Lords as they ventured further into the building and down the stairs.

"No. But at least it's drowning out all other noise." The Master sighed in relief. The Doctor turned to him.

"The drums still there?"

The Master gave him a long look before replying. "As Miss Noble said, we can talk after we get back to the TARDIS."

"Why is everyone calling me 'Miss'?" Donna asked irritably. "Do I really look single?"

"I assume you are single. You can't be with the Doctor, anyway."

"Oh, and why's that?"

"He only goes for the blonde companions."

"Oi!" The Doctor swung the flashlight to shine on the Master's face. "Talk like that and I will leave you here."

"I'll be good. Do you want to go down the stairs first, or are you afraid I'll push you?" The Doctor ignored his outstretched hand and stepped down the metal staircase himself.

"This is killing my head." The Doctor groaned as he stepped onto the floor and looked around with the light.

"I've built up a tolerance. What's that?" The Master asked, pointing towards movement. The Doctor flashed the light down the corridor to reveal several Ood huddled together in a cage. The Master found a light switch and turned it on, bathing the Ood in light. Six Ood looked up at them, and the song changed to one of wary alarm. Then they settled down once they saw them and crouched in one corner of the cage.

"Why do they look different?" Donna asked as they came to kneel in front of the cage.

"They haven't been processed yet." The Master explained.

"Before they're converted to slavery." The Doctor said, his voice beginning to ring with anger. "That's their song. We've been hearing them crying out."

"I still can't hear it." Donna placed her hands around the bars, wishing she could rip open the door.

"Do you want to?" The Doctor turned to her.

"Doctor. She's human. A song like this..." The Master trailed off before shaking his head. "It's pure captivity. It's even getting to me."

"I want to hear it." Donna insisted with quiet determination.

"Face me." The Doctor instructed as he brought his fingers to her temples and closed his eyes. The Master watched as the Doctor's face scrunched up in concentration, then at Donna as the song crashed through her mind. The Ood looked up to look at her as she began to cry, looking at them in understanding for the first time. They could feel her sympathy. To them, it was something new.

"Take it away." Donna finally cried, beginning to sob. "I can't bear it." The Doctor quickly took his fingers to her temples.

"I'm sorry." She gasped.

"You're very strong to listen to it that long." The Master said quietly as the Ood returned to their former positions as Donna's consciousness faded from their minds.

"You two can still hear it?"

"All the time." The Doctor replied, his voice shaking. He began to sonic open the cage as they heard the soldiers at the door to the warehouse.

"They're getting in!" Donna exclaimed in alarm.

"We can't exactly go anywhere, Donna." The Master told her, following the Doctor into the cell. "Besides, Halpen wants us alive. Nothing will happen to us."

"What have you got there?" the Doctor asked the Ood gently, kneeling before them. "Please show me." An Ood turned to look at him.

"Friends." Donna said. "I'm Donna, he's the Doctor. And he's..."

"The Master." he supplied quietly, trying to project sympathy and calm. "We want to help."

"Look at me." The Doctor kindly whispered to the Ood, talking more through the psychic waves than anything else. "What have you got? Let me see." The Ood shuffled closer to the Doctor and held its hands up.

"That's it." The Doctor nodded with encouragement. "Go on." Its hand shifted to reveal a mass of pink mass. The Doctor's face rippled with surprise, the Master's with sudden understanding.

"Is that a brain?" Donna asked with mortification.

"A hind brain." The Master replied, forcing out all his air in a hiss.

"The Ood have a secondary brain. It must process memory and emotions." The Doctor realized, looking at the Ood with amazement.

"That's how they turn them into servants." The Master quietly explained, looking at Donna. "They replace it with a translator ball programmed with all the skills they'll need to serve. I didn't know they did this."

"They give an entire species a lobotomy?" Donna asked with anger, keeping her calm only for the Ood. The Ood who held out his brain looked at each of them, as if memorising the faces of the first kind people they met.

"Humans." The Master muttered under his breath in disgust.

"I looked for you for a year, Doctor." Donna said, her voice shaking with emotion. "I thought it'd be so wonderful, like seeing the universe would be beautiful." The Doctor looked at her with alarm, dreading what she was going to say next.

"I want to go home." Donna said, staring at the Ood with pain in her eyes. The Doctor stared at her, loss already marring his features. The Master's hand reached out to comfort him as soldiers came crashing down the ramp.

"They're with the Ood, sir." One of them announced. The Doctor jumped up and swung the door shut.

"What're you going to do?" The Doctor asked, pressing himself against the bars. "Lock me up and throw me in cage? You're too late." He then barked out an insane "Ha!" The Master gave him a long look as the guards pointed their guns at them and ordered them to surrender.

"Your seducing the guard act needs work." He told the Doctor as they were grabbed and led to Halpen's office.

"I wasn't trying to seduce the guard." The Doctor snapped.

"Did you think going for crazy would work any better?"

"Be quiet." Halpen ordered them, sparing most of his glare for the Master. "Tolkien, I can't say I'm surprised."

"My name isn't Tolkien. It's the Master. Learn it."

"Handcuffed to poles in your office?" The Master asked as Donna glared at the guard who snapped her into place. "That's a bit too kinky for you, isn't it?"

Halpen ignored him. "You're Ood sympathizers, aren't you."

"Wanting to free an enslaved race? Yeah, that's kind of my job." The Doctor hissed.

"Enslave? We help them. They were just running around on this frozen planet. They had no culture, no thought."

"They have thought." The Master snapped. "But it's too complicated for your stupid ape brain to pick up."

"They didn't put up any resistance." Halpen insisted.

"You idiot." Donna yelled. "They're born with their brains in their hands! They have to be peaceful because they're so vulnerable they'd have to trust anyone they met."

"Oh, good one Donna." The Doctor muttered.

"Yes, I rather like this one." The Master said with approval.

"We've been doing this for two hundred years. This is just an infected batch. But we'll make sure it doesn't spread." Halpen replied with malice, turning on his communicator. "Kess, how are you doing?"

"Canister's set up. Gas will be released in two hundred marks." came the psychopath's gleeful voice through the wrist device.

"You're going to gas them?" The Doctor asked in outrage.

"Kill the livestock. The solution our ancestors came up with. I find it works rather well." Halpen replied confidently. The Doctor looked at the man as if he couldn't be considered human.

"I know that look." The Master put in. "If the Doctor gives you that look it means you're going to die."

"Oh really?" Halpen asked, looking over at him in amusement.

"Yes. I've died several times because of it." He replied with slightly deranged smirk before wincing.

"Do you hear that?" The Doctor asked as the song changed and rippled through the air.

"Yeah I do." The Master replied distantly.

"Hear what?" Halpen asked as the alarm went off.

"Told you." the Master called after him as Halpen and Ryder ran outside to check.

"What's going on?" Donna cried in alarm as gunshots and screams began echoing through the base.

"The song changed. It's one of resistance now." The Master explained as Halpen and Ryder returned to the room.

"It's contained to this planet." Ryder said.

"Then we must protect our customers and stop Red Eye before it spreads even more."

"What are you talking about?" The Doctor demanded.

"Everything you wanted. We're leaving this planet." He turned and looked at the three of them with mock regret. "Unfortunately we'll be investigated so I can't kill you myself, but I think I have a better idea."

"So you're going to leave us to the Red Eye?" Halpen grinned at the Doctor.

"I think so. Poetic, don't you think?"

"Then tell us, since the knowledge will die with us." The Master interrupted with a gleam in his eye. "What is in Warehouse 15 that you didn't want me to see? I know it has to do with the Red Eye."

"It won't exist for much longer." Halpen spat before grinning at them all with a sick smile. "Enjoy your Ood." He turned and left the room, motioning for Ryder and the guards to follow him. As soon as they were through the door the Doctor and the Master began struggling against the cuffs.

"You don't know how to get out of handcuffs? Time Lords can't get out of handcuffs!?" Donna yelled.

"These are really good handcuffs." The Master replied with slight admiration. "If we get out of them I might just keep a pair."

"The last thing I find out about you is that you're kinky. Right, thanks." Donna snapped as the front door to the office slid open for four Ood with red eyes.

"We have to keep our screwdrivers in our breast pockets." the Master cursed.

"Doctor, Donna friends!" the Doctor yelled, remembering that it got through to the unprocessed Ood.

"The Circle must be broken!" Donna choose, knowing all the Ood lit up when they heard that.

"We want to help!" The Master added, deciding to ignore the part of his brain that was telling him these were the worst last words he could have ever chosen. They continued yelling as the Ood came closer, holding up their translator balls ready to kill. The Master stumbled over his words, hearing the slight change in song. He glanced up in a panic to see the lethal globe an inch from the Doctor's face before they paused, as if listening. The Doctor and Donna looked around in bewilderment as the Ood clutched their heads before straightening up, the red gone from their eyes.

"Master, Doctor, Donna." One of the Ood said. "Friends."

"That's us!" the Doctor exclaimed in with relief. "Oh yes!"

"You help us. We can help you," said the Ood as his peers moved to destroy the handcuffs with their translator balls.

"Thank you!" Donna cried as she rubbed her wrists. The Doctor turned to the Master.

"You said something about a Warehouse 15."

"Yes, but..." The Master trailed off. "I don't actually know where it is. I went looking for you instead." The Doctor gave an exasperated sigh.

"Well, come on!" Donna said, motioning towards the door. "Maybe we can, I don't know, follow their footprints."

"We can't find them from in here." The Doctor acknowledged as they started out the door. They ran out of the building and down the steps right into a gunfight as the soldiers tried to gun down the deadly Ood.

"What are we looking for?" Donna asked.

"I don't know, something... forbidden looking?" The Doctor replied helplessly.

"Maybe he can help us." The Master said, nodding at an Ood who was standing before them calmly. "Sigma?"

"I can help you." Sigma replied, sounding quite pleased for an Ood. "Follow me."

"You know where Warehouse 15 is?" The Doctor asked the Ood.

"I do. My master brought me there many times." He replied before turning and walking calmly through the gunfight.

"That's Halpen's Ood." The Master explained to the Doctor and Donna as they followed Sigma. "Smartest Ood there is. He'll get us there."

"Master, why are you helping us?" The Doctor finally asked, ignoring Donna's questioning face.

"That's a loaded question, Doctor." The Master replied with a shrug, keeping his mind guarded. "I came here to find you, and it wouldn't do me much good just to get you killed after finding you, would it?"

"You knew I'd come here." The Doctor stated it as a fact with slight accusation in his voice.

"Home planet to an entire race of a creature who is being lobotomised into slavery? I figured you'd show up eventually." The Master replied before smirking. "I'm just glad I caught up to you in this regeneration."

"So, you're not Harold Saxon then." Donna said, trying to figure out just who the Master was.

"No. I made him up."

"But they said that the Saxons, you and your wife, where possessed by those Toclafane things."

The Master bit back a laugh.

"Did they?" he asked in amusement. Even the Doctor looked surprised about how they rationalised the incident.

"Yeah. They said that after the President was assassinated UNIT managed to break their hold on you, but they used Lucy Saxon to kill you. And since they sent her to a mental institution afterwards, everyone believed it."

"UNIT can't do anything." The Master replied shortly. "And I'll have you know I was in control of the Toclafane."

"So you did shoot the American President and try to take over the world." Donna asked acidly. The Master winced, causing the Doctor to look at him in confusion.

"Yes, but I'm trying to impress someone here, Donna." he said, jerking his thumb towards the Doctor. "And you're really not helping bringing that up."

"You did try to wipe out the human race. She has every right to ask." The Doctor replied calmly, looking at the Master, trying to figure out his motives. "But seeing as Sigma has stopped in front of the building with a fifteen on it, I'd say we'll have to suspend this conversation until we get back to the TARDIS."

The Master was silent as they walked up to the doors and the Doctor soniced it open before grinning widely. "Does that mean I'm going on the TARDIS?"

The Doctor sighed and sent him another irritated look.

"Maybe. Now shut up until we're done." The Doctor pointed his finger at the Master until the other Time Lord agreed with a sigh and a nod. With that they stepped inside the warehouse.

"Whatever it is, the song is getting louder." The Master said, grimacing. "Even louder than the natural Ood."

"Sigma, do you know what is in here?" The Doctor asked as they ran down another flight of stairs.

"Our Songmaster." Sigma replied.

"What's a Songmaster?" Donna asked as they came to another set of stairs that came to a balcony. A smell rose up and the three of them stared at the area below them in astonishment.

"The Ood Brain." The Doctor said, looking down on the giant mass of cells. Large cords ran into the brain, and a circle of electricity surrounded it as it pulsed.

"They have three brains." The Master shook his head as the psychic waves whirled around his mind. "Forebrain, hindbrain, and this, binding them all together. How sentimental."

"What does it do?" Donna asked, looking over the railing at the brain.

"It's the centre of all knowledge. It binds all the Ood together." The Doctor looked up and smiled slightly as the song changed to wrap around them. "Linking them all in song."

"Cargo." Halpen's slightly manic voice announced, as he pointed a gun at them. Ryder followed behind him, white coat standing out in the red lighting of the room. "All these empty warehouses, I could start a cargo business after this. Smaller, of course, but no livestock to deal with."

"He's mined the area." Ryder said, following him warily.

"You're going to kill it?" Donna asked, looking back at the brain.

"They found it in a glacier two centuries ago. Kill that, kill the Ood."

"Doctor, notice the points" The Master nudged the Doctor, coming to stand next to him.

"Forming a circle. The Circle, I suspect. A telepathic field." he muttered.

"The Circle must be broken." Donna echoed.

"You." The Doctor suddenly turned to Halpen in anger. "You've been keeping the Ood separated for two hundred years."

"Sigma, you brought them here?" Halpen's eyes narrowed. "I gave you your freedom and then you do this."

"My place is at your side, sir." Sigma replied calmly, moving to stand beside Halpen without any fear of the gun. He didn't have anything to fear, as the gun was pointed square at the Doctor. Halpen laughed without humour.

"Good Oo-od." Halpen said, brow furrowing as he had trouble pronouncing the word. The Master looked at him with a slight smirk, his eyes glittering.

"Hold on." Donna interrupted, glancing at the brain again. "If that barrier thing is in place, how come the Ood started breaking out?" The Doctor shook his head.

"I don't know. Maybe it took it two centuries to adapt and get around the barrier. The subconscious would be reaching out. Looking for a way."

"The process was too slow. It had to be accelerated." Ryder interrupted, looking at the brain in triumph before turning to Halpen. "You never should have let me near the controls, Halpen. I lowered the barriers to bare minimum."

"Friends of the Ood." The Master grinned at Halpen. "I knew what Halpen was doing as soon as I shook his hand. I figured if I antagonized you you'd be distracted. I was right, of course."

"It's taken me ten years to get to the head of Ood Development and help them." Ryder's eyes were lit with triumph. "And I succeeded."

Halpen stared at Ryder before nodding and laughing in a slightly insane manner. "Yes you did." He said before grabbing Ryder by the collar and throwing him over the railing.

"No!" The Doctor yelled, scrambling to reach the man. Ryder fell onto the brain, screaming, before being absorbed under its surface. The song around them shifted, the brain alarmed that the man who had helped the Ood was now dead, fried the same way all the people died when they were killed by the translator ball.

"You murdered him." Donna gasped, staring at Halpen in astonishment. The man only smiled, his eyes far beyond reason.

"Don't miss a thing, do you?" He asked, raising the gun again. The Doctor quickly pulled Donna behind him. The Master stood to the side, fingering his laser screwdriver in his pocket.

"Never shot someone before." Halpen said with a coughing laugh. "Normally I wouldn't like it, but today isn't a normal day."

"I find shooting people quite enjoyable." The Master replied before his voice filled with warning. "But if you shoot the Doctor, I can assure you he will be the only one you shoot."

"Yes. I find your weaponless stance frightening." Halpen levelled the gun at the Doctor's chest. "But I think I shall take the chance." As the Master's hand tightened around the deadly device in his pocket, Sigma stepped forward.

"Would you like a drink, sir?"

"I think I can forget the hair right now." Halpen replied as Sigma stepped in front of the Doctor and Donna.

"Please have a drink, sir." Sigma said again, causing the Master to giggle. Halpen glanced at him in confusion.

"If... if you're going to stand in the way," Halpen threatened as he struggled to speak. "I...I'll shooot yooou tooo." The Doctor slowly tried to move Sigma to the side, but the Ood stood firm.

"Please," Sigma repeated, menace creeping into his voice. "Have a drink, sir." Halpen stared down at his shaking hands before realization dawned across his face.

"Have... have yooou poooisened me?"

"Natural Ood must never kill, sir." Sigma replied, staring at the man who kept his entire race enslaved.

"What is that stuff?" The Doctor asked as understanding flickered into his eyes.

"Ood graft suspended in a biological compound." The Master explained gleefully. "Halpen showed it to me when we first landed on this planet. I knew what it was the minute I smelled it."

"Thank you for not saying anything, sir." Sigma said to the Master as Halpen grasped his head and struggled to speak.

"I figured he probably deserved it." The Master replied, watching Halpen with amusement. "If it turned out he didn't, I would have stepped in. It was evident fairly quickly I shouldn't have worried."

"What the hell does that mean?" Halpen demanded desperately as the Doctor fully appreciated the situation.

"Oh dear." The Doctor slowly said, eyes flickering to the Master's.

"I know. I'm impressed, too."

"What is it!?" Halpen grasped the gun with both hands, struggling to stop his shaking.

"Funny thing, the subconscious. It takes all sorts of shapes." The Doctor replied, watching Halpen. "Revenge came out as Red Eye, anger in the rabid Ood, and patience came out in brilliant, brilliant Sigma."

"Intelligence, mercy..." The Master paused, nodding at the brain. "A considerable bit of poetic justice, all of it focused on Sigma." The Doctor grinned again as Halpen struggled to speak.

"How's the hair loss, Mr Halpen?" The Doctor asked, bouncing on his heels. A habit of his, the Master realised. Halpen shakily brought his hand to his head and pulled away a clump of hair.

"What have you done?" Halpen sobbed.

"They've been preparing you for a long time, Mr Halpen." The Master replied, relishing in the small amounts of Halpen's suffering. The drums had changed only a little, after all.

"And now," The Doctor added. "You're standing next to the Ood brain. And now, the barriers are down. Can you hear the singing?" Halpen stared at the brain, horror and fear washing over his face.

"What... I'm...not..." Halpen desperately tried to keep his hand steady enough to shoot the gun. The Doctor watched him warily, more out of concern for Donna than anything else, but Sigma moved to the side as Halpen dropped his weapon. He grabbed at his head and doubled over, fingers peeling back whatever human part they found. They watched in morbid fascination, with a bit of confusion on Donna's part, as Halpen completed his transformation to Ood kind. Tentacles spilled out of his mouth as he straightened up.

"They turned him... into an Ood?" Donna asked in astonishment.

"Yup." The Doctor confirmed, nodding.

"He's an Ood."

"I noticed." The Doctor replied, still watching Halpen. The Master had all but ignored Halpen after the gruesome part of his change finished. He was wrapped up in the song, listening to it as it blended with his drums. Halpen groaned before spitting his forebrain into his hands.

"He has become Ood kind." Sigma announced, turning to the Doctor. "We will take care of him."

"This is weird." Donna said, shaking her head frantically. "Being with you. I can't tell what's right and what's wrong anymore."

"Yeah. It's better that way." The Doctor replied.

"Really?" The Master interrupted. "Because you're always sure around me." The Doctor glanced at him, but there was a slight smile in his eyes.

"You don't tend to leave any grey area. Too thorough." Rapid beeping interrupted the Doctor. "Oh! The detonators!" He exclaimed, rushing to the railing and quickly disarming them.

"And now!" The Doctor ran to the controls before turning and bowing to Sigma.

"Sigma, will you do me the honour?"

Sigma bowed in return. "It is yours, Doctor."

"Oh yes!" The Doctor replied in an infections grin as he turned around and turned off the containment field. "After two centuries. The Circle is broken. The Ood can sing!" As the field faded the brain shifted and a new song of peace and freedom rippled through the air, encompassing them. All other thoughts fled as the beautiful song brushed against their minds. Sigma and Ood Halpen faced each other in a makeshift circle and lifted their palms to the ceiling, rejoicing in the song. They just watched the Ood and listened to the song before Sigma turned to them.

"It is time." He said. "All Ood have returned to our natural state of peace."

"Peace is good." Donna replied with a smile, before turning to the Doctor and the Master.

"What about you two. Are you going to make peace?" she asked them. The Master stared at her before glancing at the Doctor.

"I certainly didn't come here to destroy anything. Not even a little bit." he replied. The Doctor sighed before nodding.

"It's probably the song talking, you can't fight with the song. But yes. You get a chance." He turned and pointed at the Master. "A chance, remember. Not a promise."

"Pointing. Cheeky." The Master grinned. "I haven't gotten a chance to deal with your cheekiness. Old age made you mellow."

"If he gets to cheeky slap him." Donna supplied. "That's what works for me."

"Are you alright with me, then?" The Master asked her. She sighed.

"You did help us. And Doctor seems to trust you." She hesitantly nodded before growling at him. "But no funny business! I'll pitch you out of the TARDIS myself if I have to."

"She will, too." The Doctor said with a grin. "I won't stop her. You probably deserved it anyway."

"You wish to return home?" Sigma asked.

"My ship, yes. My home." The Doctor's smile widened. "It's always nicer with more people."

"Come, then." Sigma said, and led them out of the warehouse. All the Ood stood around the complex, basking in the song that wove around the planet.

"What is it?" One of the soldiers asked them.

"It is the song of the Ood." The Doctor replied before he gestured towards Sigma. "Take your orders from him. He speaks for Ood kind, and you are on their planet." he announced before following Sigma as he walked back to the TARDIS, listening to the song as some Ood followed them.

"That song went out across the galaxies." The Doctor said as he faced the Ood in front of the TARDIS with Donna and the Master. "Everyone heard it. Everyone knows. The rockets are bringing them back. All the Ood are coming home."

"Thank you, Doctor, Donna, Master. Friends of Ood kind." Sigma replied, gratitude even coming through the translator ball, even though it was unnecessary. The song made it perfectly clear how the Ood felt. "Are you sure you will not stay? There is always room in the song."

"I've got a song of my own, thanks." The Doctor replied, glancing at the TARDIS, then at the Master and Donna. "It gets bigger all the time."

"I think your song must come to an end, soon Doctor." Sigma said.

"Meaning?" The Master asked as the song changed around them. It was familiar to the Doctor; the Master could see it in the way he held himself.

"Every song must end." Was all Sigma would say.

"Yeah," The Doctor replied distractedly before turning to Donna. "What about you. Still want to go home?"

"No, defiantly not."

"Then we'll be off." The Doctor said, turning to the Ood to say goodbye.

"Then take this song with you." Sigma offered as the Ood standing in a semicircle around him lifted their arms and added to the song. It twirled around them, thanking them and wishing them luck and good times.

"We will." The Doctor and Donna replied. "Always."

"And know this, Doctor, Donna, Master." Sigma added. "You will never be forgotten. Our children will sing of the Doctor, Donna, Master. And our children's children. And the wind and the snow will carry your names forever." The song swelled around them as they waved goodbye to the Ood and stepped into the TARDIS.

"Positive you don't want to go home?" The Doctor asked as he set the coordinates on the TARDS and they flew away from the Ood Sphere. "It is sometimes like this."

"Can't leave you alone, I don't think. Bad things would happen. The TARDIS windows will steam up." Donna replied with a smirk.

"Ah..." the Doctor stared at her.

"Sexual tension really that blatant?" The Master asked Donna.

"Rolling off in waves." Donna replied, laughing at them. "And it makes sense, really. When we were in Pompeii, the Doctor didn't stay with me and the pretty young woman. No, he went running off with the boy in a skirt."

"He was wearing a tunic!" The Doctor protested. "And I needed to find the circuits!"

"Any excuse, Doctor." The Master teased. "I am wounded you didn't stay faithful to me."

"Didn't you have a wife?" Donna asked in mock indignation.

"And it taught me why I should stick to tormenting the Doctor." The Master replied as Donna yawned.

"Well," she announced, taking her coat off and heading towards the back of the TARDIS. "I don't know about you space men, but I am tired. I have to go to my friend's pub opening tomorrow. Won't forget, will you Doctor?"

"Nope." the Doctor replied, waving to Donna as she left. The Master waited for him to speak, then decided to say something when he didn't.

"Can we share a bedroom?" He asked, only half serious and not expecting the Doctor to say yes.

"You can go to your bedroom." The Doctor replied. "I know the TARDIS hadn't gotten rid of it yet."

"You saved it!" The Master replied, thinking of the room he had created when he slept off his post-regeneration energy deficit after escaping from the end of the universe. "How delightedly stalker of you!"

"I didn't save it, I didn't get rid of it." The Doctor replied, but the Master could tell he was smiling slightly. "But she's probably moved it to the back. Have fun walking there." The Master groaned.

"Very well." he said as he headed out of the console room.

"Wait." The Doctor called after him, suddenly serious. "Before we leave for Donna's event tomorrow, come to my room. We have to set ground rules." The Master sighed.

"Yes, yes. No killing things, I know. Here, to show you I'm serious about being good and helping you." The Master reached into his pocket and handed the Doctor his laser screwdriver. "You can give it back when you think I'm ready. But I will whine until then, I promise."

"How did you get this back?" The Doctor asked, warily examining it.

"I made a new one." The Master replied with a shrug. "And no, before you ask, I didn't add Lazarus technology to this one. Good night."

"Good night." The Doctor called after him softly, watching him saunter down the hallway. The TARDIS shifted uneasily in his mind.

"I know, girl." he replied, idly stroking the console. "I'll be careful." He was silent for a moment, setting her into orbit so he, too, could retire to his room.

"But you have to admit," he suddenly burst out with a grin. "If he is being honest, having him back will be fantastic!"


	2. Night on the Town

****

A/N: Hello! So many people added this to their story alerts, and I was amazed! Thank you for keeping me writing!

(Edit: Reposted after fixing some grammar, spelling, and clearing up some dialog. Thanks to my beta, Nic!)

Warnings for this chapter: Drunkeness, plotbunnies, unexpectednaked!Doctor and quite-expectedperverted!Master.

Review Responses:

Amy: Will write more, don't worry. We have all of series 4 to get through!

Triana2: Thanks for saying that! I wasn't sure if I was capturing them right. Of course I'll come to how the Master came back, that would be a rather big plothole if I didn't! (Although it will take some time arriving there!) We'll have another addition to the crew before I'm done! And as for lovely lovely Martha... she'll have some things to say, I'll expect. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any classic Who, so I don't know quite how UNIT would react to the Master. I'll have to do a little research on that. Thanks for telling me about the anonymous review, I wasn't aware of that!

* * *

Nights for the Master weren't as bad as they once were. Ever since he was brought back to life, he slept rather peacefully. Not like before. Even on the Valiant, even when he was in control, his dreams threatened to tear him apart. The Time War haunted him whenever he surrendered to the mercy of his mind. The drums motivated him, of course they did. They demanded he fight and destroy and would not let up until he obeyed. They ruled him, and he knew that. Whenever he slept they brought up horrible images just to torture him. In return, he took out his frustrations on his captives. He didn't love Lucy by any means, but even he regretted how he had broken her by the end. It frustrated him how he could be controlled so easily. That was the real reason he didn't regenerate on the Valiant. He would have stayed with the Doctor, and warped the other Time Lord until they could be together and burn the universe. But the drums would have demanded that he kill the Doctor. As he was in the Doctor's arms, the drums whispered to him. They told him plans, ways to destroy him, and he refused. The last thing he saw was the Doctor's face staring at him, begging for him. He welcomed death.

Whatever brought him back changed him. Or rather, it changed the drums. It was no longer the beat that called him to war. Instead it was a double pulse that made him ache from loneliness. Now, when he dreamt, he was far away from the bloodshed of the battlefield. He was in the Doctor's arms.

At first it was irritating beyond belief. He remembered their old relationship, but he had no interest in bringing it back after he captured the Doctor and the Earth. The Doctor always ran away from everything, and he had long since learned not to expect any different. But this new Doctor, the one scarred from the Time War, was different. He still ran, the Doctor ran as far as he could. Yet it was obvious that he would never leave the Master behind any longer. The Doctor had an emptiness left behind by Gallifrey, and that scared him more than any relationship could. Nothing the Master could do on the Valiant could move the Doctor to hate him. Hate his motives, hate what he was doing, yes. But the Doctor could never hate him personally.

The new drums repeated that over and over. In his dreams they whispered how lovely things would be if they were together. They pressured the Master to be good, to be someone the Doctor would stay with. The Master cursed the new drums just as much as he did the old ones- he was still a prisoner to them. But they allowed him to spare the Doctor, so he lived with them.

When the Master had stood in Halpen's office he had watched the buyer's meeting out of boredom, not expecting to see him. But there the Doctor was, standing next to Donna Noble and warily eyeing the Ood. The drums paused, than increased in volume, demanding that he go to the Doctor immediately. He had to ignore them, of course, or he would have been found out sooner. Still, when he came to stand by the Doctor in the warehouse as they discovered the natural Ood... the drums lowered their volume. They were still there, but it was much easier to ignore them. As long as he was around the Doctor, they would remain like that. In his dreams, when he was in with the Doctor, the drums were gone.

The TARDIS woke him up by shaking his room so he fell out of bed. The Master groaned.

"You couldn't just make an alarm clock go off?" He asked his smug surroundings. He had a feeling she wasn't going to be forgiving him any time soon. He yawned and dressed into a clean suit. Black suit, tie, shoes, and gloves as always. He figured the white shirt kept it bright. He mentally checked the relative time and found that half a day had passed. Donna was probably getting ready for her pub opening, that she was probably going to drag them to. The Doctor had wanted to talk to him before he set foot outside the TARDIS again, which meant he had to track the other Time Lord down.

Twenty minutes later had the Master still looking for the console room.

"For Rassilion's sake!" The Master yelled to the TARDIS. "I can't talk to him if you're going to keep leading me in circles!"

"Master?" The Doctor's voice drifted down the corridor. The Master rounded the corner to see the Doctor's head popped out of one of the doors.

"Planned that, didn't you?" The Master muttered to the TARDIS. Her silence was answer enough.

"Are you going to stand there cursing or are you going to come in?" The Doctor asked in amusement. The Master stormed into his room and turned to the Doctor in annoyance.

"Tell your ship to stop playing games." The Master warned. "And if she hides the bathroom again when I'm looking for it I can't be held responsible for my actions."

"I'll talk to her." The Doctor replied, eyeing the Master's flushed cheeks. "How long did it take you to get here?"

"Twenty minutes." The Master huffed, sitting down in a chair and inspecting the Doctor's room. It was the one room the TARDIS had refused to let the Master see, even after he had her transformed into a Paradox Machine. He had managed to sneak into Rose's bedroom, but left after he found it untouched. He didn't think the Doctor had visited it after she left, and he wondered why the other Time Lord didn't just turn it into a shrine and be done with it. He had left a note on Martha's pillow in case she ever got back on board, and he had hidden all of the toys he found in the Freak's room. He had been bored that day.

The Doctor's room was cluttered with various, useless objects. The shelves housed items from every corner of time and space, some of which the Master recognized. An entire wall was taken up by a bookshelf stuffed with books, most of which written by human authors. The Doctor's bed was covered in pillows and thin comforters, all tossed around on an unmade bed. The carpet looked to be from the 20th century, and across from the dresser was a doorway to what the Master assumed was his private bathroom.

"So are you going to give me some wine and try to seduce me or are we going to talk?" The Master asked after he finished looking at his surroundings and his gazed settled on the Doctor, who finishing tying his tie.

"Done being nosy?" The Doctor asked, sticking gel into his hair before wiping his hands.

"I believe you call it curious." The Master corrected.

"Suppose I do." The Doctor turned and looked at the Master. "You're back."

"Very observant."

"After you left last night I set the TARDIS to isomorphic controls." The Doctor said after a pause. "If your plan was to steal her, it won't work."

"You assume there's a plan." The Master replied.

"There isn't one?"

"No." The Master sighed. "Look, I didn't plan to come back. I really thought I was going to stay dead that time."

"How does that make it better?" The Doctor replied. "You left me alone. Again. It's been happening too often lately."

"Are you accusing me?" The Master asked, annoyance creeping into his voice. "I had nothing to do with what happened to the Freak, or Rose, or Miss Jones. Maybe Miss Jones. That one you could argue."

"Humans aren't Time Lords." The Doctor snapped, before wincing at his own choice of words. "That was poorly phrased."

"I thought you were having a breakthrough." The Master muttered.

"You made me the last Time Lord again!" The Doctor yelled. "How can you expect me to be okay with you just waltzing back in again feigning innocence and asking me to take you back!"

The Master's eyes narrowed as he glared at the Doctor. "Dieing was the right thing to do, Doctor. For the both of us." he sighed. "And I didn't bring myself back. Someone else did."

"Oh really?" The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"When I closed my eyes I was dieing on the Valiant." The Master replied, challenging the Doctor to interrupt him. "There was nothing, then something pulled me back. I woke up in a penthouse with a letter telling me to head for the Oodsphere. I don't know who brought me back. I never found out."

"And you just happened to find me." The Doctor didn't try to hide his disbelief.

"It was obvious whoever brought me back wanted me to find you." The Master snapped.

They sat in silence for a moment.

"They changed the drums."

That caught the Doctor's attention. "They got rid of them?"

"Don't be stupid, even death didn't get rid of them." The Master sighed. "They're still drumming, but it's a different beat."

"What do you mean?" The Doctor asked. He had never really understood the drums in the first place. He knew that the drums were corrupting the Master's mind and twisting it, and he had a feeling it came from that horrid ceremony they had to go through as children, but he never knew for certain. When he defeated the Master on the Valiant, all the psychic energy let him brush against the Master's mind, but he didn't attempt to break in.

"I'm running out of ways to say that they've changed, Doctor."

"Fine. How did they change?"

"The drumbeat is different. It's no longer a war march it's..." The Master trailed off.

"What?" The Doctor prompted, coming to sit in the chair across from the other Time Lord.

"Do you want to hear it?" The Master asked suddenly. "You can go in and look for yourself."

The Doctor warily eyed him, causing the Master to sigh again. "It's not a trap. And even if it was, it wouldn't be a very good one. You've already said that you set the TARDIS controls to isomorphic, and if I did anything I'd be left drifting here with Donna. And I don't doubt that she really would toss me out if I tried anything."

"And you'll just let me?" The Doctor asked skeptically, but moved closer to the Master anyway.

"I won't let you see what I don't want you to." The Master answered easily.

"We'll try it." The Doctor said cautiously as he placed two fingers to each of the Master's temples and closed his eyes.

The Doctor was walking down a long hallway with black walls and red carpeting. Light came from candles burning from spots on the walls. Some doors were open, others were shut quickly before him and yanked away. The Doctor even caught Lucy staring at him from behind a door before that too was pulled from his sight. Eventually he came to the center of the Master's mind, where red pulsed throughout the room. It was reminiscent of the Paradox Machine as drums pounded out from a column in the center of the room. The Doctor stilled, listening to the drums in shock. They were no longer beating out the tune the Master's fingers had restlessly beat out back on Earth. It wasn't the pattern the Doctor knew from when the Master stabbed Jack in rhythm in front of him until he died, and then did it again after he came back to life with a gasp. It was the sound of four heartbeats. The unique sound of two sets of a binary cardiovascular system. It was the beat of two Time Lords' hearts together.

The Doctor withdrew and slumped in his chair, mindlessly staring at the Master, who calmly stared back.

"Ah." The Doctor finally said.

Silence.

"Well."

A raised eyebrow.

"That is different."

A humourless chuckle.

"What do these drums want?"

"What do you think, Doctor?" The Master asked, his face not giving anything away.

"I... wasn't expecting that." The Doctor admitted timidly. "I did think it was a trap."

"And if it was, you would have been caught. Count yourself lucky." The Master replied.

"So, they don't want violence anymore."

"No."

"That's... nice."

"Sunshine and daises."

There was more silence before the Doctor sighed.

"Look at us." He said, gesturing pointlessly in the air. "Can't even talk anymore."

"I know. We're drifting apart. Ever since Mary and Johnny moved out things haven't been the same." The Master replied lightly, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve.

"Master."

"It's not my fault! We don't go out anymore! The Howell's are taking dancing classes and I think it might bring us closer."

"Be serious." The Doctor replied, refusing to smile.

"I am. We can't get divorced. I'll never be able to be successful on the market. Anyone over forty has trouble, and I'm over nine hundred! I don't stand a chance." The Master leaned closer to the Doctor, looking worried. "Do you think I should get Botox?"

The sides of the Doctor's lips tugged upwards. "I think you might be beyond help."

"Then we'll have to stay together." The Master replied with an exaggerated sigh. "There's nothing else we can do."

"Then," The Doctor said with amusement "We'll have to set some rules. You're on parole."

"Fine."

"And you're going to have to go without your screwdriver until I can properly trust you."

"Very well."

"And you're going to not kill anything innocent. And even some of the things that aren't."

"Except in defence."

"Which I will define."

"So I won't even be able to swat a mosquito, then?"

"Stop being difficult."

The Master raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Telling the truth isn't being difficult."

"With you it is." The Doctor replied before jumping up. "Tea!"

"What?" The Master asked patiently, used to the Doctor randomly bouncing around yelling random nouns. Or Adjectives. Or verbs, if the situation demanded it.

"We need tea! Good, proper tea! Besides," He added with a grin "The TARDIS will probably hide the kitchen from you unless you're with me."

"Tells you more about her than it does about me." The Master grumbled, but he stood up and followed the Doctor out of the room. He smirked as he closed the door behind him. Oh, he was planning to be in here often.

"And I ended up fighting my way though with a water pistol!" Donna heard as she came into the kitchens after getting ready.

"Can't even use a proper weapon when you have an excuse." The Master replied before glancing at Donna.

"Morning, Donna!" The Doctor said, handing her a cup of tea before eyeing her outfit. "Are you going somewhere?" Donna and the Master stared at him.

"You forgot didn't you? I said I wanted to pop back home because I promised a friend I'd be there when her new pub opened. You said 'oh, we'll go tomorrow and goodnight. Won't forget Donna, I swear. Never do.' And now you've forgotten. Mind like a sieve, yours."

The Doctor grinned back sheepishly. "I'll get my coat. What street?"

"I'm going to be lonely." The Master pouted, leaning his elbows.

"You're coming too, PM." Donna replied, putting her hands on her hips. "You hang with us you go with us."

"Can't exactly go around like this, Donna." The Master gestured to himself. "I was supposedly killed by my possessed wife on TV with the whole world watching."

"Then put on a hat and sunglasses." Donna threw up her hands in exasperation. "Really, you space men have no sense! Throw on tee shirt and jeans. No one will recognize you."

"While he gets a suit? I don't think so." The Master replied, nodding at the Doctor.

"Then he can throw on a shirt and jeans."

"Me!?" The Doctor asked, surprised. Donna and the Master stared at him with identical expressions of expectation.

"It's not my fault he's made himself an enemy to Earth. He should have thought of this before. And, I should mention, I'm always in my suit. I'm not going to win this, am I?" Donna and the Master shook their heads.

"Fine." The Doctor surrendered with a sigh. "Off to the TARDIS closet, then."

Donna rolled her eyes. "Don't take forever. If you're not done in fifteen minutes, then I'll march in there and dress you myself."

"Yes Ma'am!" The Master replied with a stiff armed salute.

"Don't you forget it." Donna called after them as they left the kitchen. The TARDIS let them find the closet easily enough, but she only let them on in on the level three flights of stairs below the section they needed.

"The only thing I hate more than stairs are stairs that twist." The Master said as they climbed upwards.

"You just like to complain" The Doctor replied, jumping onto the right level and immediately looking for clothes.

"Therapeutic." The Master glanced through the racks, pulling out a black button down shirt and a white undershirt. He dug around some more and found jeans and a pair of shoes that would replace the dress shoes he was wearing.

"What are you doing?" The Doctor asked as the Master began to strip.

"Changing. If you don't like it go somewhere else."

"What if Donna comes in?"

"I hardly think Donna is a blushing virgin, Doctor." The Master replied, than glanced at the waistcoat the Doctor had in his hand. "And you are not wearing that."

"What's wrong with it?" The Doctor muttered, but left the Master to change before he got his answer. The Master rolled his eyes as he heard hangers scrape across the rails as he changed. After the Master was dressed he dug around for a decent pair of sunglasses and a hat. He didn't particularly want to wear a hat, but he was still recognizable without one. He also probably wasn't going to be able to speak to anyone new, either.

"I'm done!" The Doctor chirped from around the corner. The Master raised an eyebrow as when he came into view.

"Haven't you outgrown that outfit?" The Master asked in amusement. The Doctor was wearing a black V-neck tee shirt and a black leather jacket. It wasn't the same clothes his ninth wore when the Master had looked up the Doctor's recent activity, but it was pretty damn close.

"What do you mean?" The Doctor replied, bewildered.

"Never mind." The Master grinned behind his hand, wondering when it would occur to the Doctor. If the Freak was there, they could have cast bets. Maybe Donna would, even if she wouldn't get the reference.

"A black hat?" The Doctor asked as the Master posed in front of the mirror.

"Black is a running theme for me." He replied. "I'm surprised you haven't noticed."

"I was hoping you'd grow out of it." The Doctor muttered to himself, before walking out the door. The Master quickly followed, just barely making it before the TARDIS moved it.

"Now." Donna said, turning to look at them as they came into the console room. "Don't do anything stupid. And don't get drunk. Can you get drunk?"

"If we slow down our metabolism." The Doctor replied as he pulled on the handbrake. "Some drinks go through too fast even for Time Lords, but nothing that would be here in the 21st century."

"You can do that?" Donna asked, intrigued. "Keep yourself from getting drunk?

"With concentration and a fair amount of salt we can make our bodies do a lot of things." The Master told her with a wink.

"No winking at me, space boy." Donna replied. "I'll tell you what I told the Doctor. You're not mating with me."

"You wanted to mate with Donna?" The Master asked with amusement.

"For one thing, it was out of context. B, it was her mistake, and three, are we going out or not?" The Doctor asked, holding the TARDIS door open for them.

"Mite tetchy tonight." Donna muttered to the Master.

"He always gets like that when he doesn't get his way. You should have seen him at school."

"School? You went to school together?" Donna laughed and shook her head. "Went to school dances and plays and stuff?"

"Nope." The Doctor replied as the three of them walked out of the alley the TARDIS was parked in and down the street. "Too frivolous. Didn't have any purpose."

"We both left Gallifrey a long time ago for a reason." The Master said, sniffing his nose in distaste. "Bunch of frigid bores."

"Well lucky you're on Earth, then." Donna replied, as they came to her friends' pub and went inside. "We know how to live."

"Why," The Master asked as yet another drunkard stumbled past them to get to the bathroom, "Do you work so hard to save this planet?"

"You can't judge a planet by its pub dwellers." The Doctor replied. "You shouldn't judge a planet, anyway."

"Oh yes, I forgot. Peace and love. You do know that the sixties have been done with for over forty years." The Master's sunglasses slid down his nose and his eyes glittered at the other Time Lord.

"At the moment. We can make it the next stop on the TARDIS, anyway." the Doctor replied with a grin, taking a sip from his water.

"You know, Doctor." The Master commented, the action drawing his attention, "I don't believe the purpose of going to a pub is to drink water."

"I don't particularly like beer." The Doctor replied with a shrug.

"Then why did you even get something to drink?" The Master asked, taking a drink from his own glass. He wasn't drinking beer either. He had gotten his hands on an empty glass and poured some hypervodka he had hidden in one of his pockets into the mug.

"When in Rome."

"So!" Donna thumped herself in the seat next to the Doctor. "Having fun?"

"Bucket loads. No, really. I can barely contain myself." The Master replied with a roll of his eyes. "You might have to get the hose."

"Shut it Man in Black." Donna told him before turning to the Doctor. "I think you might want to take a look at someone."

"Why?" The Doctor asked, intrigued.

"I was chatting with Gina, you know, the one who owns this place? Anyway, there I was, being the life of the party as always-"

"Does this have a point?" The Master asked with a snort.

"Drink your beer." Donna replied before turning back to the Doctor. "There's this couple, a man and a woman. And everyone around them is acting weird."

"Because it's not like you don't know anyone who acts oddly." The Master said, pointedly glancing at the Doctor.

"Oh, so people hanging around him like he's an addictive drug is normal?"

"Not so much him. Around me, however..." The Master winked at Donna over the top of his shades. "People get obsessed."

"That them?" The Doctor asked as he peered over the back of the seat, not hearing the Master and Donna's exchange. Two extremely beautiful people, a man and a woman, sat at a table flanked with other people who were listening to their every word. The man was slim but muscled, his dark eyes matching the dark hair curling around his face. The woman's hair flowed like honey down her back, her face seducing and appealing with flashing eyes and a red mouth. The woman looked up and saw the Doctor watching them.

"Come over here, gorgeous!" She called, winking and beckoning with one of her hands.

"Shall we?" the Doctor said as he got up and went over to introduce himself. The only indication he felt the Master's glare burning into his back was the slightly confused look he gave him as he walked.

"If we end up with another hanger-on I might have to kill him." The Master muttered before going over himself. Donna smirked at the two of them and shook her head.

"They're like teenagers." Donna snickered before following the both of them.

"I'm Annabelle Lee Harris." The woman was saying to the Doctor as the Master joined them, holding out her hand for him to shake. "Silent man here is Gareth Rogers."

"I'm John Smith." The Doctor replied as he felt pheromones being pelted at him from the couple. That's interesting, the Doctor thought to himself.

"Harry Masters." The Master said holding out his own hand, easily neutralizing the chemicals as they hit his body.

"John Smith?" Rogers asked, looking at the Doctor with amusement. "A plain name for one like you. You should have a more romantic one."

"Yes, but Harry's Sex Slave would never pass legal." The Master replied, grinning as the Doctor flushed and spluttered.

"I don't... no!"

"Aw, don't be embarrassed, honey." Annabelle Lee told the Doctor with a giggle. "Your boyfriend just wants to stake his claim in front of Gareth."

"And that's too bad." Gareth added, looking the Doctor over again and sending a wave of hormones towards him. "I would've loved to get to know you."

"Get to know Donna." The Master replied, gesturing to the companion as she finally managed to squeeze her way past the little crowd. "Miss Noble, looks wonderful with white."

"Oh, you can get to know me." Donna said, with a grin as she grabbed a chair next to the Doctor. She and Gareth started a conversation about the pub, much to the disappointment of the women around them.

"I haven't seen any of you around the night scene." Annabelle said, leaning towards the Doctor with a purr. "Where have you all been hiding?"

"Oh, just travelling." The Doctor replied. "I like to see the sights."

"I bet you do." Gareth replied with a smirk. The Master's eye narrowed and his fingers curled into a fist under the table.

"So what about you, tall dark and handsome?" Annabelle Lee asked the Master with a flirty smile. "What do you like to do?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know and to do." The Master leaned forward and flashed her dirty grin. "Rather, to do with me."

"I think I would." Annabelle replied. "Most definitely." The Master leaned back again and shared a glance with the Doctor. The two were sending out chemicals specifically designed to make people crave them.

"Ooh!" She squirmed with a giggle before pulling a cell phone out of her pant's pocket. "Set to vibrate."

"Should've let it ring a bit longer." Gareth said with amusement. Annabelle Lee stuck her tongue out at him before answering it. She greeted who ever it was and listened to them for a solid minute before she hung up. The two Time Lords could see her tense up slightly and tap her finger three times against Gareth's wrist under the table. He glanced at her before the pheromone levels doubled around them.

"Our lift is here." Annabelle Lee announced, before glancing at the three of them. "Want to come with us to the next place? It'll be hot."

"I'm sure it will." The Master replied, holding out his hand to help her up.

"We're going?" Donna asked in mild surprise. Gareth leaned towards her, pelting the hormones at her.

"Wouldn't you liked to?"

"Oh, yes please!" Donna said with a grin, blushing slightly as Gareth helped her up.

"I'm so glad you're coming!" Annabelle Lee gushed, linking arms with Donna and leading her out of the pub. "It's good to have another girl around."

"Very good. I'm not that picky about multiple men, either." Gareth said, winking at the Master and the Doctor as he walked to the bar to pay the tab.

"Are we really going off with strangers we just met?" The Doctor asked before shaking his head. "I don't know what activity you got up to on Earth but this is not for me."

"I don't think you can chastise me, Doctor. How many pretty, innocent young girls have you whisked away after knowing them for hours?" The Master responded, raising an eyebrow. "Besides, they obviously aren't supposed to be here. We need to find out if they're harmless or not. And if we find that out with drinks and some groping, so be it."

"There'll be no groping going on." The Doctor muttered. "I don't... I just don't."

"Saving yourself for me? I approve." The Master replied with his trademark smirk. "It might even be Sa-"

"Shut up." The Doctor hissed as Gareth came back and walked out the door with them. A sleek black limo awaited them. Donna got in first and Annabelle Lee slid in after her. The Doctor ended up sitting in between Annabelle Lee and Gareth, something neither he nor the Master entirely agreed with. The Master ended up sitting on the end and was having a discussion with Gareth about the wine selection that was stored in the limo.

"Do you travel all the time?" Annabelle Lee was asking after the third round of wine had been passed around. It didn't go unnoticed by the Time Lords that Annabelle Lee and Gareth were still on their first glass. The Master and the Doctor weren't even affected by it, but Donna was getting tipsy and the Doctor was going to cut her off if she asked for another.

"I'll bet you have many exciting stories from all your travels." Annabelle Lee purred, placing a hand on the Doctor's thigh.

"I, um." The Doctor shook his head and tried to wriggle away subtly. "Not very interesting ones, I'm afraid."

"Then why don't we create one?" She asked and grabbed the Doctor so she could kiss him. He quickly pushed her away before apologizing for her toss to the floor.

"He doesn't go for that stuff." The Master supplied with amusement. "Too stuffy."

"Although plenty of people would like him to." Donna added with a drunken laugh. Gareth and Annabelle Lee merely smiled and watched the Doctor with expectation. Expectation that turned to confusion when the Doctor remained upright.

"Are... are you okay?" Annabelle Lee asked hesitantly.

"Of course I am, why would I not..." The Doctor trailed off as he licked his lips. "Did you just try to drug me?"

"I... of course not." she replied quickly, smoothing out her skirt.

"Narcotic compound spread over the lips. You did!" The Doctor accused. The Master's eyes darkened and he reached for her but Gareth grabbed him before he kissed him.  
The Master punched him for his troubles.

"Sorry, pretty boy. That stuff doesn't work on us." Annabelle Lee desperately turned to Donna before harshly knocking their lips together.

"Oh..." Donna slurred, dropping her wine glass. "Apparently it works on.. on me. Can some-some one slap her for me?"

"Donna!" The Doctor yelled and caught her before she hit the floor. He grabbed his sonic and quickly scanned her. "She's still alive, just unconscious."

"I enjoy woman-on-woman as much as the next man." The Master said as he moved next to the Doctor. "But it's not worth having a laser pointed at me."

"Just shut up and sit over there. And give me that... silver thing." Annabelle Lee hissed, as she and Gareth aimed a low-tech blaster at them. Low-tech, but still deadly. The Doctor quietly tossed her the sonic and sat back on the seat after he sat Donna upright. Annabelle Lee pulled out her cell phone and quickly called a number.

"We have three more." she said. "But two of them didn't react to the Goodnight Kiss... I don't know why...At that new pub...We're three minutes away... We know." She hung up and slumped in her seat. "She said we'll have to go out tomorrow." Annabelle Lee told Gareth with a frustrated sigh.

"What? This was the last load!" Gareth replied, even though his eyes never left his captives.

"She said that we can't use those two. She wants to experiment on them, because of their resistance."

"Hold on." The Doctor said, holding up his hands. "Experiment? You can't just yank people off the street and experiment on them!"

"To be fair, you can. It's just not morally acceptable in most cultures." The Master put in, earning a dark look from the Doctor.

"Listen, we just do what we're told. Save it for the boss." Gareth snapped.

"We don't like doing this." Annabelle said. "But we want to go home."

"Where is home?" The Doctor asked. "I can take you there, trust me. And I won't ask you to do anything in return. Well, we'd ask you to let us go, but that was implied."

"Far away." Annabelle Lee replied with a sigh. "Far, far away." And she fell silent.

"The odd thing is this must be fairly run-of-the-mill for you." The Master said from his chair. Both Time Lords had been taken out of the limo by armed guards and led to an office where they were promptly handcuffed into place. The guards had carried Donna away, despite the Doctor's protests, and Annabelle Lee and Gareth fled as soon as they arrived.

"I've been tied down a lot." The Doctor admitted, eyes taking in every detail of the room.

"Being tied down can lead to good things." The Master replied with a smirk.

"Don't you start." The Doctor turned to face him. "We have enough problems without you getting perverted."

"I find a little perversion can lighten the worst of moods."

"Lighten your mood, maybe."

"Mine is the only mood that matters."

"You can't really believe that."

"How long have you known me, Doctor?" The Master asked, with a pointed look.

"If you're going to say something, say something useful." The Doctor snapped, testing the handcuffs.

"I could, I suppose." The Master said with a pout. "How about our captor is standing behind you?" The Doctor's head snapped back to look at the woman who was calmly watching them from the doorway.

"That is helpful. Would've been more helpful if you mentioned it sooner." The Doctor replied.

"Can we help you?" The Master asked the woman, ignoring the Doctor.

"John Smith and Harry Masters. Fake names with no paperwork." The woman replied calmly, coming around to sit at her desk and watch them. "Although you we know. You gave us funding during your climb to Prime Minister."

"Oh. That can't be good." The Master turned his head towards the Doctor. "Anything Harold Saxon funded can't be good."

"I noticed."

"Still. I'm Harold Saxon, and I'm a shareholder. I demand to be let go."

"Harold Saxon is deceased. All his money went to his wife. And she withdrew her sponsorship. You're not in any place to be making demands, no matter who you are." The woman replied before scanning them for information with a device she retrieved out of her desk drawer.

"Two hearts." The woman announced.

"No, really?" The Master stared at her in mock disbelief. "I never noticed. Thanks for telling me."

"Aliens, then."

"Who are you?" The Doctor asked, cutting of the Master's reply.

"I'm Agent 35." The woman replied tersely. "That's all you need to know."

"Oooh, that's ominous. Don't you think that's ominous, Doctor?"

"Why are you having those two kidnap people?" Was the Doctor's next question.

"This isn't my home. I come from a different place. My employers were working on a teleport prototype powered by psychic energy. It exploded and sent me and the other two here." She explained. "I've recreated it and I'm gathering energy so we can return."

"And how to Gareth and Annabelle Lee fit into all this?" The Master asked, his mind working as quickly as the Doctor's.

"They were visiting Companions and were caught in the blast. I put their training to good work, and they don't say no. I don't blame them, I do work for persuasive people." Agent 35 said.

"Where are you from?" The Doctor asked. "We can help you get back if you let us go."

"I don't think so. You're new. I'm simply going to collect more people and bring you back with me." Agent 35 smiled cruelly. "I'll run preliminary tests to measure your basic mental ability just to be sure. My employers are very interested in the workings of the mind."

"This does not seem to be fairing very well for us." The Master muttered. "Or for you, if you actually go through with that plan."

"It seems so." Agent 35 replied before pressing a button on her phone to summon soldiers.

"Is this the part where you manhandle us?" The Master asked innocently as the men roughly pulled them out of their chairs.

"Take the one in leather to the laboratory." She ordered. "And take the other one to the holding rooms where you put the red head."

"What?" The Master growled, beginning to struggle. "You're not going to separate us."

"Master, go." The Doctor told him quietly. "Look after Donna. I'll find a way to get out."

"Don't tell me what to do." The Master hissed and managed to punch the guard to the ground. He turned to dislodge himself from the other one as more soldiers ran into the room to contain him.

"Don't hurt him!" The Doctor yelled as the other Time Lord took an elbow to the face before launching himself at soldier as someone managed to inject tranquillizer in him.

"Like that will work on-" The Master's eyes widened glassily and he slumped to the floor. "Oh, that's _strong_..."

"Get them out of here." Agent 35 snapped in irritation. The Doctor watched helplessly as the Master was thrown over someone's shoulder before his own captors yanked him out of sight.

"Secure him." Agent 35 orders she followed them into the room. The guards shoved the Doctor into a white chair in the center of the white sterile room of the lab. The Doctor looked around, hearts sinking at the sight of the equipment. He was glad the Master wasn't the one here. The monitors blinked to life after his jacket and shirt were removed and sensors stuck to his skin. Agent 35 circled him, writing down observations on her pad as the Doctor's arms and legs were firmly pinned down with leather straps.

"This equipment is from the 32nd century." The Doctor said conversationally as Agent 35 passed him, causing her to glance up sharply. "But it's illegal."

"My Government issued it. What is your name?" She asked calmly.

"I'm the Doctor. What do you mean your government issued it? It wasn't legal. Wasn't even present until the last five years in the century."

"You are misinformed." She replied and placed a device on his head. Wires lead from points in the structure to the computers. The Doctor grimaced as the little points pressed against his skin, almost drawing blood. He glanced over at Agent 35, who was preparing a needle.

"That's going to hurt, isn't it?" He asked as she approached him and deftly moved to his side.

"In all probability." And she stabbed the needle through a hole in the center of the head transmitter with a violent thrust. The Doctor's eyes rolled back into his head and he knew nothing more.

--

"Wake up you useless lump!" A rough voice cut through the fog that surrounded the Master.

"Somebody kill her will you?" The Master muttered to metal spheres he wished were there.

"Don't say that about me, space man!" A hand smacked his head, causing it to throb painfully. The Master cracked an eye opened and saw an irritated Donna staring down at him.

"Shouldn't you have a hangover?" He snapped, glaring at her as he struggled to sit upright.

"Yeah, I thought about that. They must've put some freaky evil drug in to prevent it." she replied before gesturing around the room. "We can't get out. Where's the Doctor?"

"They took him to the laboratory." The Master replied with a groan before closing his eyes. "Be quiet a moment, will you? I have to get rid of this headache." Donna glared at him but shut up long enough for the Master to will the headache away.

"Done?"

"Yes Miss Noble, I am." The Master stood and stretched before studying the door. "Should be able to get this open easily enough."

"How are you going to do that?" Donna asked.

"With this." The Master dug around in his jeans pocket until he pulled out a laser screwdriver. "Time Lords have really deep pockets and since these pants are pretty tight they didn't think to pat me down. Stupid apes."

"What is that?" Donna asked. "It looks like the Doctor's sonic screwdriver."

"It's a laser screwdriver. It's bigger and better. Much like me." The Master replied as he opened the door. "Now, we have to find the Doctor. I can't sense him, and Rassilion knows that can't be good." Donna followed him down a long hallway before they ducked into a room to avoid a patrol of guards as they passed.

"How did you get out?" Annabelle Lee's voice asked from behind them. The Master spun around and leveled the laser at her. She was sitting on a couch with Gareth whose arms tightened around her protectively.

"I have a laser. Works wonders." the Master replied before taking a step towards them.

"Where's the Doctor?" Donna asked.

"If he wasn't put in the holding cell with you he must be in the lab." Gareth said. "I'm sorry."

"Why be sorry? You only kidnapped us!" Donna snapped.

"If he's in the lab then she's working on him." Annabelle Lee replied sadly. "I don't know how much left of him there'll be. You can't be human, or you would have succumbed to the Goodnight Kiss. But her lab is made to go into the mind. I've seen a lot of broken people because of it."

"Then she's dead." The Master hissed before glaring at them. "Now be good little prostitutes and show me where the lab is."

"We're not whores!" Annabelle Lee cried in indignation.

"Your boss called you Companions. That's future talk for whores. Lost Empire talk for whores, actually." the Master turned to Donna. "They think because they have a union it doesn't make them whores."

"The Guild is honorable!" Gareth snapped. "If you know about it then you should know that much!"

"Shut up and start guiding." The Master growled as the two people led them out of the room.

"Master, do you think the Doctor is okay?" Donna asked him quietly.

"He better be." the Master muttered and Donna didn't ask anything more.

--

"Wake up sleepy head!" A cheerful voice said. The Doctor opened his eyes to find that he had fallen asleep on the console chair. He looked up and matched the grin on Rose's face.

"Sorry, nodded off there." He replied with a yawn.

"Course you did." Martha said from her spot where she perched on one of the TARDIS's railings. "You didn't go to bed. Jack was complaining about it."

"With all due cause. It was my night, Doc." Jack added with a pout. "Now I'll have to wait again."

"He can't help it if he loves so many people." Rose cried, defending the Doctor automatically.

"Beautiful people." Mickey muttered.

"How did you all get in here?" The Doctor asked in confusion. The console room seemed to have another person in it every time he blinked.

"You came and got us, Doctor." Jackie said as she cuddled a baby with Pete. "Don't you remember?"

"Of course I do. Just had a little moment of confusion." The Doctor grinned at them all and found seven faces smiling back. "When did you get here Donna?"

"I've been here the whole time, dumbo." Donna shook her head. "Honestly. Next you'll forget about poor Sally."

"Sally?" The Doctor turned to look at the blonde girl who had sent his TARDIS to the sixties. "I thought you were running a shop."

"Traveling is more fun." Sally replied. "Besides, I'd miss this! There's so many people who I wouldn'tve known otherwise."

The Doctor looked around at the increasingly populated TARDIS. Shakespeare was talking to Reinette who kept watching Jack with a slight smile. Sarah Jane and Jackie were talking while Pete studied K9. Joan was helping Novice Hame bring everyone tea. Tallulah was wedged in between Mickey and Jack while Laszlo had his arm around her waist to keep Jack from flirting heavily. And the more the Doctor watched the more faces he recognized. But he still couldn't find the face he was looking for.

"Master?" He called. Rose, Jack, Martha, and Donna rushed over immediately.

"Have you forgotten?" Martha asked with a bit of disapproval colouring her features. "He's dead."

"So is she!" The Doctor insisted, pointing at Reinette.

"You found her, Doctor." Rose replied. "Don't you remember? She joined us when you brought her back from France."

"I didn't make it." The Doctor said slowly, watching the noble as she seemed to flicker where she stood. "She died first."

Reinette blinked out of the TARDIS.

"Doctor!" Jack cried out. "Why did you do that? I like blondes."

"Joan should be in England. She never forgave me. And Novice Hame stayed behind to rebuild New New York." The Doctor watched as the two nurses stared at him before disappearing.

"Tallulah and Laszlo should be in Manhattan in the Hooverville. Shakespeare should be at the Globe. Sarah Jane... she said goodbye and stayed in England with K9." Each person blinked away as the Doctor spoke of them. "Sally needs to be with that boy. Jackie and Pete and Mickey should be at their home in the parallel dimension."

"Doctor!" Rose interrupted. "What are you doing?"

"You need everyone. Everyone should be here." Martha insisted.

"C'mon, Doc. They're all that's keeping you from being alone." Jack added.

"Hey!" Donna snapped. "He's got me! I'm not the one who left him. I searched for him."

"So did I." Jack replied with a glare. "It got me tortured for a year."

"My family was with him." Martha told Donna. "So don't you tell us about who's there for him."

"Quiet." The Face of Boe commanded, suddenly appearing beside them. "You do not know what he needs."

"He needs me." Rose insisted. "He loves me. He said so."

"No..." the Doctor stared down at her. "I never got the chance."

"He loves all of you. He needs your friendship." the Face of Boe continued. "But he needs you most of all. And you are not really here."

"What do you mean?" Martha asked, staring down at the ancient.

"The reason you're all here is because you're in his mind. He can't possible forget about you, not when he cares about you."

"We know that." Jack replied with a wink towards the Doctor. "What's not to love?"

"But keeping him in his mind won't help." The Face of Boe explained. "You're keeping him from reality."

"And what's in reality!?" Martha cried. "The Master. After everything the Master did to us, he's still acting like he owns the Doctor."

"How could you do that?" Jack asked angrily. "We all love you and you still choose him?"

"Calm down!" Donna yelled. "The Master had been in his life longer than all of us added together."

"But you said you loved me." Rose said quietly, wiping her tears away. "Why did you replace me?"

"Rose," The Face of Boe replied gently, "Is it possible you were the replacement for him?"

All faces turned towards the Doctor.

"I... I do love all of you." The Doctor said shakily. "I wouldn't exchange our time for anything. But... I want to be with the Master."

The Face of Boe smiled at him. "We know."

The TARDIS dissolved around him, plunging him into darkness once again.

Annabelle Lee and Gareth quietly led them to the lab without any complaint. The Master kept searching for the Doctor's consciousness and nearly gasped with relief when it flooded his senses. A pained scream that was unmistakably the Doctor's echoed down the hallway from one door at the far end. The Master pushed past Annabelle Lee and Gareth and slammed open the door with fury. He killed the guards that started towards him without hesitation and trained the laser on Agent 35.

"What did you do to him?" He snarled, as his eyes fell upon the Doctor's body. His eyes were open but stared straight ahead, glassy and unresponsive.

"A simple mind probe." Agent 35 replied calmly, eyeing the laser. "He responded differently then our other subjects."

"Of course he did! He's not human!" The Master yelled, sidling over the to monitors and looked at the information with a quick intake of breath. "You won't be able to get him back with your precious technology."

"You don't know our work." Agent 35 protested.

"You don't know your own work!" The Master whirled on her. "You don't know what you've done. You cut right through his defences!"

"That's never happened before." She insisted. "If he was weaker than the other subjects that is hardly our fault."

"He wasn't weak!" Donna cried. "He's never been weak."

"Donna." The Master said quietly. "Look away." He switched the laser to its most painful setting and killed Agent 35 calmly.

"You killed her!" Annabelle Lee shrieked from the doorway.

"Bitch deserved it." The Master muttered before easing the headpiece off of the Doctor. He quickly undid the straps and tipped the Doctor's face so he could look into his eyes

"What's wrong with him?" Donna asked when the Doctor's dead eyes had no reaction.

"Nothing I can't fix." The Master replied before straightening up and turning to Annabelle Lee and Gareth. "Keep the guards out of here. I can't take you back without him."

"After everything we've done you'll help us?" Gareth asked in astonishment.

"No. He'll take you back. Unlike me, he is forgiving." The Master replied with a shrug before crouching down in front of the Doctor. He placed two fingers on each of the Doctor's temples and closed his eyes before entering the other Time Lord's mind.

It was chillingly easy to get in. The Master nudged his away around, pushing aside memories and dreams as they flitted past him. He pushed deeper and deeper inside, getting more and more worried that this would leave permanent damage. Finally there, at the center the Doctor was curled up in a ball. Naked, the Master noted, but he didn't get any pleasure from it.

"Doctor." He called, reaching out carefully. The Doctor's head jerked up and cautious eyes watched him.

"Another dream." The Doctor muttered.

"I'm far too alluring to be a dream." The Master replied, trying to draw the Doctor out.

"No, you're far too alluring not to be a dream." The Doctor replied before sighing. "Why must you be the subject of so many hallucinations?"

"Am I?" The Master asked, slightly startled before he smirked. "You really do think I'm something your mind made up. Someone's going to be red when they wake up."

"So I'm supposed to believe that you fought your way here to rescue me?" the Doctor asked flatly.

"Yes."

"Out of the goodness of your hearts."

"Out of the goodness of no-one is allowed to hurt you but me." The Master replied. "And since I'm on probation, I'll save that for the bedroom."

"...you're real, aren't you?"

"Just noticed?"

The Doctor sighed and shakily stood up. "How bad is the damage?"

"You'll be susceptible to psychics. Short of coming across something that can posses you, you'll be fine, especially if you're in range of the TARDIS."

"We should go. Donna will be worried." The Doctor said, shivering slightly. The Master shook his head at him.

"It's your own fault for imagining yourself naked. But I'm not complaining. In fact," The Master smirked at the other Time Lord, "I'm going to take advantage of it."

"Wha-" The Doctor was cut off as the Master grabbed his head and crushed their lips together. The Master's tongue lazily licked at the Doctor's bottom lip before he pulled away looking satisfied.

"Come on now, like a good boy." The Master said with a crooked grin. He took the flushing Doctor's hand and led him out into the light.

**Next Time: Watch Them Circle**


	3. Watch Them Circle

**Warnings: Doctor and Master slightly angsty conversation, heavy petting (and licking!), devilish!Master and unsatisfied!Doctor.**

The Doctor sighed after he made sure Annabelle Lee and Gareth were in the right place. The couple couldn't stop thanking him and he had to push them out the door before they would leave. Donna had already retreated to her room, shaken by the Master's actions. The Time Lord in question had stormed to his room, still fuming from the lecture he got from the Doctor when the Time Lord had awoken to the sight of the bodies of the guards and Agent 35. The Doctor had confiscated that laser screwdriver, though he suspected that the Master had yet another when he didn't protest. The Doctor had almost forgotten who the Master usually was because of all his good behavior, but this little venture had been a reminder. The Doctor counted himself lucky he only killed those involved, and not innocents.

The Doctor turned and jumped when he saw the Master leaning against the console, raising an eyebrow at the Doctor's reaction.

"Did I interrupt your soliloquy?" he asked mockingly.

"I thought you where in your room."

"You know I get frisky when I spill blood."

The Doctor frowned at him, his usually warm brown eyes cold. "It's not a joke."

"They almost destroyed you, Doctor." the Master replied coolly. "They sent you into shock the first try. Think what could have happened if they had another poke around your mind."

"Agent 35 was obviously a product of her environment, Master." The Doctor snapped.

"And I'm not?" The Master had long since removed his sunglasses and hat, and his dark eyes flashed at the Doctor.

"Only if you're looking for worn-out excuses."

"Ha ha." The Master folded his arms across his chest and stared at the Doctor. "What?"

"You've terrified Donna. She's barely met you and you're already off on a killing spree."

The Master snorted. "Three people is hardly a spree. Besides, she forgave you for killing the Racnoss. Probably kept you from doing something stupid and dramatic."

"Are you suggesting I would have done something if she wasn't there to stop me? That's ridiculous." The Doctor rolled his eyes and stepped around the Master so he could fiddle

with the TARDIS.

"If you're trying to look busy, don't just check the outside conditions over and over again." The Master suggested. "Or did you forget that unlike your little humans, I do know what you're doing?"

"Why are you still here?" The Doctor muttered before moving the screen out of the Master's view so he could stare at it intently. "I thought you were content to sulk on your own."

"I'm the sulky one? You're practically pouting." The Master paused before tapping his finger to his chin in consideration. "Can't say I mind that, actually."

"Will you be serious for one moment?" The Doctor asked in frustration.

"I would, but it's really hard when you're acting like a spoiled teenager." The Master sat on the sofa and put his feet up, eyeing the Doctor all the while. "I won't apologize for killing them."

"You wouldn't need to apologize to me. I'm not the one you killed."

"This time, anyway." The Master muttered before looking up innocently when the Doctor turned to glare at him.

"Stop it." The Doctor snapped before circling to the other side of the console. "Are you going to sit there all night and bother me?"

"Are you going to to talk or bite my head off?"

"Talk nonsense and I'll ignore you."

"I never talk nonsense. I just say what's on my mind." The Master stood up and began to follow the Doctor's circles around the controls.

"Look." The Doctor turned to face him after the third trip round. "Whatever you're after, just get it. I really don't have the patience for these games."

The Master looked at him, and said nothing. They stood there, staring at each other as the minutes flew by.

"What happened to you?" The Master finally asked.

The Doctor blinked. "What?"

"You're more sensitive then usual, and it happened after you're little trip into the depths of your mind. What did you see there?" The Master calmly explained, eyeing him with even more intensity. "And don't you dare lie to me. I can be much more difficult then I'm

being."

"Nothing new, really. Nothing disturbing or traumatic. I swear!" he added as the Master raised an unconvinced eyebrow.

"Did something stir that ever so guilty conscious of yours?" The Master asked before shaking his head. "Why am I bothering to ask? Of course something did. The only question is what and does it actually have any ground to stand on."

"Fine. You want to know?" The Doctor asked, turning on his heal before the Master could reply.

"No, I've been pestering you so my evil bomb can rip a hole in the TARDIS, killing us all. It is my most brilliant plan yet."

The Doctor frowned at him before darting to the screen and scanning the TARDIS. "I wasn't being serious. But tell me what you saw while we wait for her."

"Rose." The Doctor replied softly before looking at the Master. "And Martha. Jack, too. A lot of the people I've met lately."

"Of course the chav would be there." The Master muttered. "Was it an orgy? Has your pious little mind finally snapped? Does this regeneration actually have libido?"

"No." The Doctor snapped. "They were just there, then they disappeared. And then..."

The Master came around to prod the Doctor with his finger as he faltered. "And then? I asked for everything, Doctor."

"And then they all yelled at me for wondering where you were." The Doctor sighed.

"Except for Donna, anyway."

"You thought of me?" The Master asked, hiding his surprise from the Doctor. He would have thought the Doctor would never have thought of him when surrounded by his pathetic entourage.

"The only other Time Lord in existence? Not that shocking you crossed my mind." The Doctor muttered. "I suppose my subconscious would be reaching out for you after being alone for so long."

"Trying to rationalize the incident?" The Master asked with a sudden smirk. "I think you're trying to hide from something."

The Doctor's head shot up and his eyes narrowed. "That's what you think?"

"I remember when you first realized you were hopelessly enraptured with me, because who wouldn't be, you avoided me for days." Of course, that was back when he was called Kochei and the other Time Lord Theta.

"That was a long time ago." The Doctor snapped before busying himself with the TARDIS again.

"Over eight hundred years ago, yes. But things have changed, haven't they?" The Master began pacing when he heard no reply. "You can't run from me anymore, or you'll be completely alone. And I might feel the need to destroy a planet, but I know that isn't your first motivation, despite what you may claim."

"I do need to keep you from the rest of the universe."

"Yet if you thought I was a ticking bomb, you would have returned Donna home."

"Are you saying you're not?"

"All of us are a ticking bomb, Doctor. My shows tend to be closer together, true, but I bet when you crack it will be truly glorious." The Master stopped behind the Doctor and firmly grasped his shoulders and spun him around.

"Is that what you want? Sorry to disappoint, but I won't be loosing it anytime soon." The Doctor snapped before trying to push past the Master. The other Time Lord held him in strength, waiting until the Doctor stopped struggling and met his eye with a sigh.

"I want to make one thing clear, Doctor." The Master breathed, leaning forward so his words ghosted into the Doctor's ear. "I'm not here to play around. If you're going to be a skittish colt then I won't waste my time here."

"Master…" the Doctor's hands crept around the Master's body.

"Am I wasting my time, Doctor?" The Master asked as he leaned back, stretching the Doctor's arms.

"No." The Doctor replied softly after a brief pause.

"No what?" The Master asked, leaning in and biting at the Doctor's earlobe.

"No, Master." The Doctor replied, more of a gasp then a statement. But the Master merely smirked and began running his tongue up and down the Doctor's neck.

"Have you missed this contact?" The Master murmured as the Doctor's hands tightened their grip on his jacket. "Missed a body that doesn't burn when you touch it?"

"Master…" The Doctor panted, groaning as the Master's thigh moved in between his legs and began applying pressure.

"Yes, Doctor?" The Master asked pleasantly, as if he wasn't bending the Doctor over backwards and stimulating him in all of his weak spots. They were the same in every regeneration. When the Doctor wasn't able to form a response the Master smirked and pulled away.

"Guess I'm forgiven then." The Master said as he straightened his tie. "Goodnight."

The Doctor watched, slightly confused and more than a little unsatisfied as the Master cheerfully walked out of the console room and down the corridor.

"For Rassilion's sake…" The Doctor hissed as he struggled to control his body. He groaned and glanced up at the TARDIS. "Make him walk a bit, will you?"

Judging by her amused hum, she did.

**A/N: Really short I know. But I am in a singing program and will be gone for the next three weeks, and when I get back I have three days and then my classes start. So since you're looking at a month-long wait, I figured I'd give you this. And a bit of slashy goodness. I'll do the review response with the next chapter.**

**Next time: Sontaran Stratagem (really, this time!)**


	4. Sontaran Strategem Part I

**A/N: I know this took me way past the month I predicted. Unfortunately, school predictably got in the way and by the time I had balanced off my time I became involved in a production of Little Shop of Horrors. We built our own Audrey II, and that was the scariest part. So this chapter is shorter then usual so you would have something to read, and I will be able to work now that the holidays are approaching (3 weeks off!) and my production has ended. Rejoice!**

**A/N(2): Now with a lime at the end. Enjoy!**

**Review Responses****:**

**Tera Earth: As much as I love the ones before, Donna is my favorite companion so far. And I don't think she would be intimidated by the Master very much, because she does have that strong a personality. **

**Triana2: It's just because he spends so much time busying without anything happening. Extra bonus points because no one can even understand what the screen says. *Sighs* I am not looking forward to Turn Left because of the massive plot holes *coughwhataboutPompeiicough*. I think my version might actually close them... I'd suggest for them to play Spin the Laser Screwdriver, but I have a suspicion the Master would rig them to shoot whenever it pointed to someone he didn't like.**

**Zoe: I think you'll find that the TARDIS has taken the Master's punishment into her own hands, and it may be crueler than what the Doctor did with the Family of Blood.**

The Master was absent days and the way the TARDIS seemed to exude smugness made the Doctor concerned that the other Time Lord had been pitched out with some of the TARDIS's other rooms. So when Donna pointedly began asking after the Master after neither of them had seem him for days the Doctor finally swallowed his pride and set out after him. He really shouldn't have to approach him, and it annoyed the Doctor that the Master was forcing him to do it. Still, he really hadn't changed at all over the years and he didn't know why he kept expecting any different from him

"Listen, I know you like to sit around and sulk but three days is really going overboard." The Doctor said as he walked into the Master's room before stopping short. His bed was surrounded by mountains of books, neatly stacked in piles of forty on one side and a mess of a heap of discarded books on the other. The Master glanced up at him, his lip curling into a sneer before he greeted him.

"Finally managed to drag yourself round to visit little old lonesome me?" The Master asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I hope it hasn't been too much of a bother. Do you think the universe can manage without your presence? I wouldn't want it to implode."

"What have you been doing?" The Doctor asked, cautiously nudging the book closest to him with his trainers, half expecting it shock him or catch fire.

"What does it look like? Your beloved TARDIS removed my door. In all her infinite kindness, she gave me part of her library to read. The romance section, actually."  
"You've been reading romance for three straight days?"  
"Except for the frequent masturbation breaks." The Doctor stared at the man in front of him incredulously.  
"Your hand must be sore." He replied before sticking on his glasses and bending down to look at the pile. "Is that from Adipose 1?"  
"Adiposian porn, Doctor," The Master began sagely, "Is not something I would recommend. It makes Slitheen mating rituals look like erotic art."  
"I'm sure you're the expert." Except for Jack, the Doctor added in silent thought. It might not have been as silent as he thought when he received a withering glare from the Master.  
"So am I free?" The Master asked, flicking the book he was holding into the Doctor's hands. "Or have you come to join me in my nauseating fate?"  
"I didn't order you in here, you know. She did that on her own."  
"Yes and if she continues such antics I will have to retaliate. If she's going to start something, by Rassilion I will finish it."  
"Duly noted." The Doctor replied cheerfully as he stood up before offering his hand to the Master. "Ready?"  
"I suppose." The Master glanced balefully around at the room as he left. "Clean this up, will you old girl?" A painful shock from the railing was the only answer the Master got.

"Here for the show?" Donna asked when the Master and the Doctor returned to the console room.  
"Show?" The Master asked, turning to look at the Doctor. "You better not be taking us to New New York. I am not taking sloppy thirds."  
"I," The Doctor began after giving the Master a dark look, "Am teaching Donna how to fly the TARDIS."  
"It's not fair if the both of you get to run around this thing like maniacs." Donna added before grinning. "Besides, maybe a feminine touch will make the trips smoother."  
"Yes," The Master began with a smirk, "But where are we going to find someone feminine?"  
The Doctor subtly edged towards the kitchen as Donna advanced on the Master.

Martha Jones was not quite sure how she felt. When she heard the Doctor's voice she couldn't quell her excitement. But even as she felt those familiar butterflies in her stomach, they weren't the same. She only had to think of Tom's hand in hers before she knew she was really getting over the Doctor. Still...  
The sound of the TARDIS materializing distracted her as that familiar blue box came into view. The door opened with the same creak (All the power to travel through time and space, Martha thought wryly, but not enough common sense to oil the door.) and the Doctor stepped out. Slowly.

"Martha Jones." He said.  
"Doctor." she replied, slightly nonplussed. She had heard him use that voice before whenever he was dealing with a skittish threat. Martha steeled herself and began walking towards him, giving an inward exasperated sigh when he took a step towards her cautiously.  
'Oh come on, Doctor.' Martha thought before she dashed towards him and gave him a hug. His faced cracked into that familiar grin and he lifted her off the ground.  
"You haven't changed a bit!" He exclaimed.  
"Neither have you!" She exclaimed, fingers skimming over that well-worn coat. How long had he had that before they met?

"How's the family?" the Doctor asked, concern flitting through his eyes. Martha thought briefly of their recent estrangement from Leo. It wasn't his fault he avoided the Master's torture, and honestly Martha was more than glad that he had. It would be too long if she never saw _that_ Time Lord again. Still, Leo, like the rest of the world, didn't know the real Saxon, and more than once he mentioned the man as the country found a new Prime Minister. Martha was still outraged that they painted 'Harold Saxon' as a martyr. Even an alias of the Master didn't deserve any reverence. UNIT was in complete agreement with her and she knew Jack would make sure Torchwood was too, but to reveal that the icon of change, tolerance, and steps towards the future was really a genocidal maniac... Well, Martha was able to understand their reasoning. She didn't have to like it.  
"Fine. Better, I mean. They're beginning to heal." Martha assured him, hoping to ease his conscience at least a little.

"You?" He asked, eying her. They had never really talked about her experiences in the Year That Never Was, but she had a feeling he had been following her progress through the Archangel Network and knew all about them. She opened her mouth to speak when a woman stepping out of the TARDIS distracted her. For a second she felt stung by the thought she had been so quickly replaced. But then she reminded herself that Jack said that she must've fallen into the companion position soon after Rose. And if the Doctor rebounded so quickly after losing Rose, it made depressing sense he'd replace at the next chance he got. Besides, Martha admitted, the man really could not be left on his own.  
"Should've known it wouldn't take you long to get another one. You're a regular Casanova."

"Now no fighting!" The Doctor said, stepping back. "I can't stand fighting."  
"Oh shut up, you old fishwife." The woman scoffed as she stepped forward and shook Martha's hand. "Like I'd fight over you. I'm Donna, and I've heard all about you, Martha." Donna said warmly. "He talks about you all the time. Nice things, really nice, lovely thi-"  
"Oh, you know." Martha blushed and pushed back a bang to try and cover her embarrassment, but she was secretly pleased the Doctor had mentioned her so much that she even knew this.  
"Oh, congratulations!" Donna gushed, glancing at the ring on her finger. "I bet he's better then old Time boy here. Who's the lucky man? I hope it isn't a Personnel Manager. Stay away from those."  
"What man? Lucky what?" The Doctor asked in confusion. Martha grinned at the Time Lord's bewilderment and at Donna's eye roll cast in his direction.  
"She's engaged, you idiot. Besides, it's not like you can talk about finding a man, what with the Master sulking about in the TARDIS."

"What!?" Martha felt her eyes widen in shock and turned to the Doctor.  
"He's dead! Why is he back?" she shook her head "How can he be back? He isn't, is he?" The Doctor winced painfully and opened his mouth to explain, but then that all too familiar face popped out from the TARDIS and swept her into a hug before she could react.  
"Martha Jones, lovely to see you. I wanted to jump out and yell surprise but Donna ruined it." The smirk on his face told Martha quite plainly that he was enjoying it. "And how is that family of yours? No really, I want all the details."  
Punching the Master in the jaw wasn't quite as hard as Martha imagined it to be.

The Master had been eying Martha's outfit from the first of it, and now he was curious. That was not a street outfit, it was something akin to what she wore when he captured her. And he happened to know that no megalomaniacs had tried to follow in his footsteps lately, so he wanted to know what Miss Jones was up to. And who taught her such a good uppercut.  
"I want it noted that she dealt the first blow. I was warm and inviting and she snapped!" The Master announced from the ground. The Doctor barely glanced at him as he led Martha away to talk to her.  
"Do people always have this reaction to you?" Donna asked, not bothering to hide her amusement

"Only people who I've tried to enslave. I'm civil to everyone else, really." Donna raised an eyebrow, glancing back at Martha.  
"And what did you do to her?"  
"When I took over the world as Harold Saxon, I kept her family captive. And there may or may not have been mental torture." When Donna's glare sharpened the Master threw up his hands innocently. "It was a life time ago. For me, anyway. That's time travel for you."  
"You tortured her family?" Donna asked slowly. The Master stood up cautiously and dusted off his suit, careful to stay out of Donna's reach.  
"One thing you'll learn about the Doctor, Donna, is that the easiest way to keep him in line is to have a firm control of his companion's family. He'll be protective of his companion, yes, but a companion chooses to be there. The family however is a completely innocent and neutral party, and thus work much better as emotional blackmail. It was just business."

"You utter bastard." Donna's eyes narrowed threateningly, but the Master only scoffed in return.

"Donna, I like you. You are the first companion of his I haven't wanted to kill. That is saying something. But if you expect me to feel threatened by you or even slightly sorry about what I've done, you're in for quite a shock."

"I forgot. You're to busy chasing after the Doctor." Donna hissed.

"Excuse me?" The Master narrowed his own eyes. "I do not chase anybody."

"Oh really? When you took over the Earth last time, before he stopped you, how much of your plan revolved around the Doctor? Capturing him, I mean. Or maybe more. You captured him, didn't you? If Martha's family was the bait, you didn't actually need to do anything to them."

"Of course I needed to." The Master began angrily. "It was part of my plan to..."

"Get the Doctor? Oh, have we circled round to him again?" Donna shook her head and forced a laugh. "I barely know you. I've known you for maybe a week. And I can still see that your life revolves around him."

"It does _not_!" The Master yelled, causing the Doctor and Martha to pause in their argument down the alley before Jones gestured at him and started up again.

"When I met the Doctor, he didn't mention you. I only heard about Rose. And when we met up again, it was all about Martha. I didn't even know you existed."

"What is your point, Miss Noble?" The Master snapped, far too tired to deal with her anymore. "You're talking like you're some wise old woman. But you're not wise."

"Are you calling me old!?"

"No. You are no where _near_ old. The Doctor and I, we are some thirty times older than you. We have seen, done, and know millions more than you can ever hope to." Donna opened her mouth indignantly but the Master held up a hand in warning. "So I do not want to hear you offering me advice. Because when I say you know nothing, that is an understatement." Donna stared at him for a moment before she smacked him clear across the face, taking special care to hit the already bruised area Martha had covered.

"You pretentious git." She bellowed before marching off to join Martha and the Doctor. The Master watched her go, and watched the three of them standing there, Donna yammering about her fight, Martha yelling 'See? What did I tell you?', and the Doctor casting him dirty looks.

And the truly infuriatingly thing about all of this was that they expected him to _care_. To feel _sorry._ Donna wanted him guilty, Martha wanted him dead, and the Doctor wanted him to repent. And they assumed that it mattered to him.

That was almost as likely as Martha inviting him back to her flat for a night of fun.

"-We should turn him over to the UN!" Donna yelled.

"Now hold on. We are not giving him to anyone." The Doctor hissed before giving Donna a confused glance. "Why the UN?"

"Well who do you give an alien to?"

"UNIT." Martha said suddenly, holding up the communicator in her hand.

"How did you get them on the other end of that?" The Doctor asked, surprised.

"I work for UNIT."

"Well isn't that wizard." The Master replied with a sneer.

"Oi!" Donna snapped.

"After I'm done with this job, I'm dealing with you." Martha said, raising her chin in what she assumed was a threatening manner. And it probably would have been had she been after a human, not a clearly superior Time Lord.

"Throwing me into chains, Martha?" The Master asked innocently. "I didn't know you were that kinky."

"Master." the Doctor snapped, pointing at the TARDIS. "Go. Now."

"You don't control me Doctor, don't puff yourself up for her." The Master replied before turning on his heal. Let them think he was going into the TARDIS. As soon as they went with Jones he'd slip off. Maybe he'd use the chameleon arch for kicks. He took two steps down the alleyway before the drums began in his mind.

They weren't the constant murmer in the background they usually where. No, these where the loud, pounding drums. They ordered him to stay with the Doctor as they ripped through his mind, ending all other thoughts and filling his head with pain. They began to thrum even louder to punish him and the Master distantly noted that he had collapsed to his knees, the gravel biting into his legs nothing next to the pressure in his head.

All the Master could do was wait for them to lessen and let go.

The Doctor was more than a little mad. The entire reunion had gone worse than he had hoped. Better than what could have happened, the Doctor reasoned, flexing his optimism. However, he needed to deal with Martha before UNIT or Torchwood decided they wanted to take a crack at the Master.

"Martha." The Doctor chided. "There will be no dealings. When I said no fighting I meant it and-"

"Sorry Doctor. Not with him."

"It's not your decision, Martha." Martha turned and and stared hard at him.

"He's on my planet. I think it is." She replied. The Doctor gestured to the Master's retreating back.

"Actually, within about two seconds, he'll be on my ground. So no, it really isn't."

"Keep him in there, then!" Martha snapped. "If you insist on letting him carry on, keep him where he can't do any damage."

"Doctor." Donna interrupted, but the Doctor ignored her.

"I do! Do you really think I can't do that?"

"You couldn't do anything the last time!"

"Doctor!" Donna yelled, grabbing the Doctor's arm and pointing to the Master. "What is wrong with him?"

The Doctor turned and his hearts froze. The Master was on his knees, clutching his head. His entire body was tensed with pain, and the Doctor was kneeling by his side in an instant.

"Master?" He asked, twisting his neck to look into the Master's eyes. The sound of his voice seemed to reach the Master who stared at him for a long moment before he collapsed onto the ground.

"Master!?" The Doctor repeated. The Master groaned and lifted his head up enough to glare at him.

"Get me into the TARDIS. Do away with the women." he hissed before he dropped down again, hands making soothing circles on his temples. The Doctor eyed him with concern, knowing a mental attack when he saw one. However, he certainly didn't want Martha or Donna, or anyone really, around the Master when he was in a much worse mood than usual. He had seen these fits before, on the Valiant, and more often then not they ended with dead lackeys or leveled cities.

"Martha." The Doctor said, turning to the two women. Take Donna with you, whatever you're doing. I'm taking the Master into the TARDIS."

"What's wrong with him?" Donna asked with concern, any anger towards the Time Lord evaporated as they stared at the Master curled on the ground. He was pitiful, lying there like that.

"Go with Martha, Donna. I'll explain later." The Doctor replied, looking at Martha, silently asking her to help him on this. Martha stared back before glancing at the Master. Evidently deciding that he posed no threat at the moment, she turned and spoke into the radio in her hand as she headed out of the alleyway. "This is Doctor Jones, Operation Blue sky Go. I repeat, Operation Blue Sky go." Donna looked at the Doctor again before following the other woman out of the alleyway, soon distracted by the armed men running past the opening. The Doctor watched with curiosity before a hissed "Stop staring like an idiot and get me in the TARDIS" brought him back to the present situation.

The Master refused to be carried and the Doctor had to settle for awkwardly helping him limp towards the blue doors. Once inside the Master settled himself onto the console seat, eyelids shut and teeth gritted in pain.

"What happened? Anything to do with what Martha called us here for?" The Doctor asked with concern.

"Will you shut up and think before you speak? You're the mentally susceptible one here, not me." The Master snapped. "Just be quiet until I'm done."

The Doctor obliged and minutes ticked by before the Master finally opened his eyes.

"Well?" The Doctor asked expectantly.

"Figure it out yourself. Think for once." The Master replied with a sneer, standing and beginning to look over the console. It was an act, and they both knew it. He couldn't even touch it without getting a shock that would knock him out. The Doctor's eyes narrowed and he began to follow the Master around in a circle.

"You're not getting off that easily. You collapsed grasping at your head. Don't tell me nothings going on!"

"Did I ever say nothing was going?" The Master asked with an amused smirk. "No. I told you I wasn't going to tell you what was."

"And what does that achieve? How does it conceivably help you?" The Doctor paused. "Was it the drums?"

"Yes, Doctor. You figured it out. Do you want one of those shiny medals your little humans are so fond of?" The Master asked, voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Well what will help?" The Doctor asked in exasperation. The Master turned and looked at him with a dark look before he jumped. The Doctor found himself pinned to the seat with the Master settled on top of him.

"We have a few minutes. Besides," The Master smirked, deciding to tack on a crude joke. "I've got a good job for you to do."

"Using human pick-up lines isn't going to help your cause." The Doctor replied, not buying it. He sighed, seeing the look in the Master's eyes. "Will you behave with Martha. And behave properly. I'll admit she isn't but, as you love to point out, you are more _advanced_ than her and therefore _above_ it."

"Does that mean you believe that as well, Doctor? You can't use logic you don't believe in."

"We don't have the same logic. I have to stoop to your level. But," The Doctor paused and looked away, refusing to meet the Master's eyes. "I wouldn't… mind. I mean, if you want to. And I do know your tastes, after all."

The Master frowned at the Doctor, weighing his options. He wasn't eager to repeat the episode with drums again, though, and make the Doctor suspicious, so he decided to humor him. Just this once.

"Fine." He sniffed, rolling onto the seat next to him and pointing at the floor. "But it better be very good." The Doctor obeyed, sliding to his knees before him.

"Yes, Master." he replied breathily, grinning at the look that flashed across the Master's face.

"Oh, being submissive are we?" The Master asked, pausing the Doctor as he started towards the Master's zipper.

"I thought you liked me like this." The Doctor teased lightly, sitting back on his heels. He was more than willing to play along with the Master. It came easily when they were alone in the TARDIS with the Master before him, looking at him like he needed him with the madness at an ignorable level behind his eyes. It was nice and the Doctor was more than willing to play along. His feelings, after all these years, hadn't changed, even if how he acted towards him differed regeneration to regeneration. And if it would make him behave... this was a therepy the Doctor could indulge in without feeling guilty. Very guilty, anyway.

"Use your mouth on the zipper." The Master ordered, a smirk creeping onto his face as the Doctor's teeth found the metal and pulled it down. "But use your hands for the rest. I don't want to have to change suits."

"You sure? You might need a change of suits. I at least have two." The Doctor replied pleasantly as he pulled the Master out of his trousers. It wasn't a new sight, exactly, because on the last night on the Valiant the Master had decided the Doctor should get a balcony seat for his celebration with Lucy. The Doctor pushed the memory away as quickly as he could, because he didn't want to think about the Master in that way, or see Lucy's dead eyes.

"Black is classic. Stop staring and talking and do something." The Master replied, reigning in his hormones. The sight of the Doctor willingly intimate affected him, but he was not going to show that weakness. "Use your tongue for productive uses."

"If I must." The Doctor murmured lightly, his hands running gently over the Master, the resulting gasp ringing in his ears. He could enjoy this for once. It wasn't forced or coerced. He probably would have done this even if the Master hadn't agreed to his terms. It felt good to be able to finally be with someone who didn't burn, who knew him more than anyone else possibly could. And as long as the Master stayed how he had been of late he might finally not feel as terrible empty as he had before.  
Finding the Master hard (he didn't need to think about directing blood down this time) the Doctor slowly and lightly applied his tongue to the tip. And promptly grinned at the Master's shuddering groan.

"Doctor." The Master said warningly, eyes still closed. "I might have to hurt you if you're just sitting there _smiling_."

"Very sorry. I just had to bask in your brilliant aura." The Doctor replied, but quickly ducked his head down to task when the Master cracked open one dark eye. He didn't want to say to much and ruin this moment, simple and crude as it was. He returned to his task with enthusiasm, deciding to get to work lest Donna or Martha get tired of waiting and yank open the door to the TARDIS. He began to lick the Master's length with just the right amount of pressure, lapping up the salty sweet liquid that was beginning to form.

"Finally he sets to his task." The Master breathed, hands coming down to curl into the Doctor's hair before briefly opening his eyes to glare. "Not as much gel next time, if you please. I am wiping this on your suit when this is done." The Doctor considered replying but settled for taking the Master into his mouth to keep him quite. Pleased when it worked, he swallowed him deeper, humming around him. One of the best things about being able to control various impulses of one's body was being able to please a partner without being uncomfortable, so completely swalloing the Master wasn't that hard at all. He couldn't say he was thrilled with the unavoidable hair pulling as the Master began to groan and move his head in the pace he wanted, but he knew the Master and that need to dominate was always going to be there. It might even be what made them possible, because sometimes the Doctor needed someone to make decisions for him when he knew they wouldn't affect anything and would eventually bring pleasure. It was almost sick, the way the Doctor willingly surrendered to the Master like this. But he had never forgotten him, and if he had to pick one Time Lord to save from the Time War, the Doctor knew he would have chosen him in an instant had he known he was still alive.

"I can hear you thinking." The Master hissed from somewhere above him. "Don't think. Feel. Do."

Those were orders, no way around them. So the Doctor obeyed, sucking with more enthusiasm as he moved his tongue just so. For a man who had not been like this since he came back to life he lasted surprisingly long, but that didn't stop the Doctor from noticing the way he tensed. He drank up everything the Master spilt as his back curled into an arch and his fingers dug painfully into his scalp. When he had completely milked him the Doctor slid him out, leaning back and watching the Master as he sat there, eyes closed and chest heaving. The Master finally opened his eyes and stared down at the Doctor, tucking himself back inside his pants before beckoning the Doctor up with one finger.

As soon as the Doctor was at his eye level he grabbed his head and kissed him deeply, groaning into his mouth again when he tasted himself inside the Doctor's mouth. They continued, taking full advantage of their respiratory bypass system, and were almost about to leave for a bedroom when they heard Donna pounding and bellowing from the other side of the TARDIS doors.

"Oi! Get your space arses out here!" She yelled. "We've got a situation with potential aliens." They heard her quietly add "It is potentially alien, right?"

"Yeah." Martha replied, sounding faint even from the other side of the door.

"Do you think they heard me?"

"... I think they might have."

The Master sighed and narrowed his eyes as the Doctor pulled himself away and straightned his suit.

"Duty calls. Coming?" He asked, annoyingly cheerful as he bounded down the ramp towards the door, pulling all of his body in check to be appropriate for the humans. The Master dragged himself up with a smirk. He wasn't about to fix his suit for them, and the Doctor had forgotten the state of his hair. The Master hurried towards the doors, eager to see Martha's face as she reminded him.

**Next Time: Part II**


	5. Sontaran Strategem Part II

**A/N: … Hello? *sheepishly waves* I know it's been a couple of months, but life has really gotten in the way. Luckily, things have calmed down, and the One Act I was in is done competition. (We still have one charity performance left). Things are getting busy again, but I promise not to let another big lapse like this happen, as I actually have the story's plot laid out, I just have to write it. I'll be good, I swear!**

**Review Responses:**

**Tera Earth****: I love Donna and the Master together, because of the banter. Oh my, the banter! As for the Master's ****obsession ****feelings towards the Doctor, I think it's all summed up in one of my favorite quotes of his. "A universe without the Doctor one scarcely bares thinking about." **

**Evil-sami-poo:**** Aww, thanks! I can't wait for Jenny, although I do feel bad about what I have planned for the Master.**

**Pachysam: ****I don't know if the Master will get to meet Staal, because his plans are still surprising me. Ooh, thanks for those facts, I knew that UNIT had dealt with the Master before, but I didn't know Davros did. The Master's reformation and his dealings with Davros will all be explained, trust me. *diabolical grin* **

**Zoe:**** Here ya go!**

**Thought:**** Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like this! I'm with you, I'd seen stories with the Master and the Doctor travelling together, but none with Donna too! (Although there was one good fic I'd be happy to point you towards where Donna becomes a Time Lady and they end up eating together at a pub. The dynamics there put mine to shame!) **

By the time UNIT had finished briefing the Doctor and brought them into the ATMOS factory, the Master was the only one still smiling. Colonel Mace left the Doctor to his own devices after casting a suspicious glance at the Master, who offered him a jelly baby in return. Martha stormed after him, no doubt about to be pestered with questions about the renegade's presence.

"Not very hospitable." The Master commented as he chomped on a Jelly Baby before placing the bag in Donna's outstretched hand.

"They have no reason to be. What was it again that you did with UNIT when you took control?" The Doctor asked him as he picked up the ATMOS device and began to inspect it.

"Nothing they would remember. It technically never happened to them."

"So your argument is that if a person doesn't remember, it's not your fault?" The Doctor asked, glancing up as he soniced the device, the blue reflecting on his pale skin.

"It's yours," the Master replied shortly, a dark look passing over his face before Donna interrupted them.

"Right, I know you lot love to kick of those philosophical debates of yours at the drop of a hat, but let's find out what's wrong with these things, yeah?" She said, shoving the bag back into the Master's hands before he could protest. "If this is alien, why is it here? Do they want to help us?"

"If they wanted to help, UNIT would know. No helpful being would give humans anything this out of the goodness of their hearts. Experiment, maybe?" The Master replied, biting the head off of the sweet in thought.

"There are eight hundred million cars on Earth," the Doctor said, putting the silver box on the table and staring at it. "If you can control them with this, that's eight hundred million weapons."

"Kill the people in the car, run the rest over." Donna said quietly, before chuckling. "I told Nerys this was too good to be true."

"Oh, that's good. Wish I had thought of that, actually." The Master sent a smile teaming with false innocence when the Doctor cast him an annoyed look. "Shall we get to work?"

*

"It does actually work. Rather advanced technology, but it seems harmless. Gets rid of all carbon emissions." The Doctor announced, holding it up for Colonel Mace. "And it is Earth technology. Human technology, anyway, but it's a bit out of place here."

"Then what is it doing here?" Mace asked, stepping next to the Doctor so he could get a better view of the device.

"Do you mind backing up a bit?" The Doctor asked him, glancing at him in irritation before he bent over the ATMOS again.

"Sorry. Am I in your light?" he asked, immediately stepping to the side.

"You're wearing a gun. I don't like people with guns hanging around me." The Doctor snapped as he pointedly kept his eyes on the machine.

"If you insist. I'll go see how Miss Noble is doing" Mace replied stiffly as he marched out of the room.

"Tetchy."

"It's true." The Doctor replied, glancing up at her.

"He's a good man!" Martha exclaimed as she crossed her arms.

"People with guns are usually the enemy in my books," the Doctor replied as he picked up the silver box and ran the sonic over it again.

"And people who tortured my family are usually the enemy in mine." Martha snapped. "But I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt. And what do you have against Mace? He happens to work for an agency that not only waited for a reason to act but called you in to be sure they were doing the right thing? Besides, look at me. Am I wearing a gun?"

The Doctor quietly put the device down "No." He replied after glancing at her hip.

"They have to use guns, Doctor. We don't have vast amounts of knowledge. We don't know what we're up against. You can come and go, but I have to stay here. Maybe by working with them I can change things from the inside."

"Oh?" The Doctor gave her one last measuring looking before he grinned at her. "That's more like Martha Jones."

"Oi, you lot!" Donna announced, bursting into the room. Mace hurried in from the other side of the plastic to join them. "You don't know where to look, for all your guns and your sonics."

"Why? What have you found?" The Doctor asked, turning to face her.

"Paperwork."

"Paperwork?" Mace repeated, eagerly looking at the file in her hands. "Does it say where the technology is from?"

"No. The thing about this folder is that there is nothing in it." Donna announced triumphantly, holding it up.

"What's it for?" The Doctor asked, staring at the blue binder.

"Sick days. Hundreds of people working here and everyone is here every day. No-one's even left early. Not ever."

"Couldn't they have just gotten a new file?" Martha asked. "Maybe they started a new one."

"There'd still be one in there. There's no sick days, no absences." Donna paused. "There's not even any evidence of giving out paychecks, and yet all these people still show up every day."

"You are good." Martha said, giving the other Companion a fond smile. "I can see why he likes you."

"Super temp!" Donna replied with a playful smirk.

"Set up a medical base and examine the workforce." Mace ordered Martha as he handed her the file and left the room. "I'll get the orders going."

"Will you give me a hand, Donna?" Martha asked as the Doctor ran after Mace. "I want to talk to you for a bit."

"Course," Donna followed after her, cracking a joke about the Doctor's attitude as they walked down the hall. The Master glanced around the vacant room, pleased that his silence made everyone quickly forget him. He slipped his laser screwdriver from his pocket and scanned the ATMOS device on the table, quickly disabling the inactive signal within it.

"Laser. Who'd have sonic?" he asked himself, and pocketed the box before he started after the Doctor.

"There you are," The Doctor said when he saw him, ending his conversation with Mace. "What were you doing?"

"I was debating whether or not to go with Jones. I decided to be good and go with you," the Master added when Mace turned to look at him.

"Good. You know the rules." The Doctor replied. The Master smiled innocently.

"How could I forget them?"

"How can I forget what he's done?" Martha asked, glaring at Donna for even suggesting it. "He tortured my family, Donna. They're still getting over him."

"Don't tell them then." Donna replied.

"The last time I didn't tell them something they were tortured, Donna. I'm not going to lie to them." Martha paused before inwardly groaning. "I'm going to have to tell Jack, too. That's going to be a fun conversation."

"Who's Jack?" Donna asked.

"A man the Master killed over and over for a year." Martha shook her head. "It's not safe for you or the Doctor to be around him. He's a psychotic megalomaniac."

"He's irritating. But they're more like an old married couple." Donna paused. "Maybe more like a separated couple. Bit like some of the ones I know."

"He's a danger to you and your family Donna. He probably already knows all about them." Martha turned to look at Donna, a thought suddenly occurring to her. "Does your family know about them?"

"Not really. My granddad waved us off but… there wasn't time to explain." Donna's brow furrowed, realizing she could have easily never seen them again if anything had gone wrong with the Ood or the Agent, or if they hadn't escaped Pompeii in time.

"Donna, you have to tell them. I didn't, and the Master was able to get to them. Just… make sure they know."

"I will. I wasn't planning on hiding the Doctor or the Master. Why?"

"The Doctor is wonderful, Donna. But he's like fire. Stand too close and you'll get burnt. And the Master… he charms people, but don't think for a second that he likes you. The only one he actually cares about is the Doctor, and I don't think there's any positive emotions between them."

"They're a couple, Martha." Donna said argued. "I understand what you mean about the Master. I've seen his wrath. But the way they act around each other when they think no-one's looking… You should see the way the Doctor looks after him, or how protective the Master is."

"I've seen the Master torture the Doctor to spite me, giggling at every pained cry." Martha replied, her eyes narrowed and voice hard. "I've seen the Doctor sobbing over the Master's corpse, screaming for him."

"He protects the Doctor, though." Donna took a step closer to Martha, trying to explain. "We were captured by this woman who wanted to use the Doctor's brain for some experiment. When he found out that she might have harmed him, he broke us out to find him. He even got him out of a coma!"

"The Master was married, Donna." Martha replied. "He can fake things like that. Lucy Cole believed that the Master loved her."

"But what if he isn't? What if he truly loves the Doctor?"

"I don't honestly care about how he feels." Martha snapped. "I care about what he does and what he's planning. If anyone is capable of loving someone but still purposely hurting them at the same time, it's the Master."

"Then what do you think he's doing?" Donna asked quietly. Martha shook her head.

"I don't know. But I am going to find out."

Donna found the Master and the Doctor at the loading dock, nudging each other at every inside joke that came up in their conversation with a UNIT soldier.

"Donna!" The Doctor exclaimed as he jumped up and pulled her to a jeep like an over excited child. "We're going to the country! Fresh air and geniuses!"

"I'm not going with you." Donna gently interrupted, tugging on his hand to get his attention. "I've been thinking and, I'm sorry, but I'm going home."

"Oh." The Doctor stared at her in surprise, shock coloring his face. "It's a bit soon. Really?"

"I've got to," Donna replied, giving the Doctor a small smile.

"If that's what you want, but there was so much I wanted to show you." Donna tilted her head as the Master bit back a giggle. "The Medusa Cascade, lightning skies, the Diamond Planet of Midnight."

"Doctor." The Master began, but the Doctor ignored him.

"Thank you. You have saved my life in so many ways. You're, you're…" He glanced between Donna's pursed lips and the Master's innocent smile. "You're just popping home for a visit aren't you?

"You dumbo." Donna began with a laugh.

"And then you're coming back. Right. I'm not going to hear the end of this, am I?" The Doctor asked, sheepishly scratching the back of his neck.

"Not if I have anything to say about it." The Master replied as Ross brought them to the jeep.

"Give me a ride home, will you?" Donna asked. "I don't want to have to walk."

"Oh yes, we can't have you walking, can we?" The Master said as he climbed in the back after her.

"Are you coming?" The Doctor asked him, staring at him with mild surprise.

"Would you rather have me wait with Miss Jones?" The Master replied, quirking an eyebrow.

"No! No. But Luke Rattigan is a boy genius. He'll recognize you." The Doctor explained. "If you're involved, he'll know this is more than a routine investigation."

"He can come home with me." Donna suggested. "Give him a hat and dark glasses again and my mum will never recognize him. Granddad might, but he already knows about you, Doctor. I could explain it to him."

"I get to meet the parents?" The Master asked. "Goody."

"Behave." Donna and the Doctor said at the same time. In the driver's seat, Ross shook his head. He always got the weird jobs.

Ross and the Doctor left them off at Donna's street before speeding off. The Master shook his head after seeing the Doctor's excited grin. The man was like a child whenever he was off to do something he thought would be new or interesting.

"This is where you live?" The Master asked, glancing at a passing woman as she greeted Donna.

"What's wrong with it?" Donna demanded, having never felt more relieved to be home in her life.

"It's so terribly…" The Master watched a little boy kick a soccer ball past them. "Mundane."

"Yes, well we can't all be psychic time traveling ex-Prime ministers can we?" Donna asked before nudging him. "And make sure your hat and glasses are on tight."

"This is entirely undignified." The Master replied, straightening his tie with a sniff. He heard Donna gasp from beside him, staring at an old man putting garbage on the curb.

"Shut up." Donna replied softly before she ran towards him, crying joyfully as he held out his arms for her and pulled her into a hug. The Master rolled his eyes as they embraced, never one to enjoy family reunions that didn't have some major tragedy looming.

"Is this him?" the man asked, pulling away to look at the Master. "Are you the one with the little blue box?"

"It's bigger on the inside." The Master informed him, and Donna shook her head.

"No, he travels with us. This is the Master, and this is my granddad, Wilf." Donna explained, pulling them all inside for tea.

"Do you keep my Donna safe?" Wilf asked, turning to look at him.

"We do our best." The Master replied. "Have you ever seen her in action? It's like trying to keep a dog away from a biscuit."

"Oi!" Donna snapped from the stove. "Don't you compare me to any dog going after anything! You've been smacked enough times today."

"Keeps everyone in line, don't she?" Wilf asked as he sat the Master down at the table. "Can't stop. Gets it from her mother."

"Speaking of which… what did you tell Mum?" Donna asked, setting tea down for everyone.

"Nothing. Just listened to her ranting about the car." Wilf replied, ignoring the tea in favor of keeping his attention on Donna.

"Should we tell her?" Donna asked, taking a sip. "I mean, she should know, right?"

"Tell me what?" Sylvia asked, coming in the back door with a load of laundry. "And where have you been. Who is this?"

"Harry Masters," The Master supplied when Donna failed to provide another pseudonym.

"Is this who you've been running around with these past couple days?" Sylvia asked, raising her eyebrows at them. "Could be worse. Anyway, it's not worth leaving the car like that. What were you thinking?"

"We weren't doing anything like that. Least not with him." Donna shuddered and the Master cast her an offended glance.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm a catch," The Master protested, taking a sip of the tea before wincing at the weak taste and slowly putting it back on the table. Donna couldn't cook anything to save her life.

"A dead cat would be a catch after what she's been up to," Sylvia announced, dropping a pile of coupons and scissors in the middle of the table. "Right. I'll feed you lot lunch and you all can do some chores. There's work to be done instead of running off with no notice." The Master gave a considering glance at the scissors and Sylvia's back before Donna's foot connected sharply with his shin beneath the table.

"Don't you even think about it," She hissed, grabbing a piece of paper and beginning to cut it. The Master reluctantly followed suit, cutting every line with surgical precision. Sylvia then made them fold laundry, and by the time the doorbell rang the Master had come up with four hundred and twenty two ways to kill the woman while making it look like an accident.

"I'll get it!" he snapped when Donna stood up, fully aware he was still holding laundry.

"You would not believe the day I'm having," The Doctor announced when the Master opened the door. The Master wordlessly held up Sylvia's far too small nightgown on one finger. Her_ lacy_ night gown. "Are you doing laundry?"

"I'm earning my keep in this house for being here one afternoon," The Master hissed. "Have you ever met Donna's mother? Every question you ever had about her is instantly answered."

"Last time I saw her I was trying to keep the Christmas tree from killing her." The Doctor replied, trying to keep his laughter undetected.

"Really? Next time let it."

"What happened to you?" Donna asked, glancing at the grass stains on the Doctor's coat.

"It's Sontarans," The Doctor replied. "They gave Rattigan the ATMOS technology."

"Sontarans? It's been awhile," The Master replied as the Doctor glanced at Donna's street.

"Can I take a look at your car?" The Doctor asked. "And call Martha, will you?"

"Sure, I'll get the keys," she said, disappearing behind a wall before tossing them to him. The Doctor caught them before he turned to the street.

"Where're you going?" Sylvia called as the Master began to follow him when she walked past the hallway. "I have another load of laundry, and you still owe me for the days you kept Donna."

"Oh, go on," Donna rolled her eyes and pushed the Master towards the living room. "It's not going to kill you."

"Yes, but I might have to kill the Doctor when he's done out there," The Master hissed, causing Wilfred to jump up.

"Is that him out there? Is it the man himself?" The old man asked, running out the door to the car.

"Everyone's making such a fuss," Sylvia huffed. The Master only glared at her before folding the laundry as violently as possible. When Wilfred's gleeful shouts could be heard from outside, Sylvia shook her head. "I'll go see what they're up to. Don't want them running off with my car again."

The Master slipped out the ATMOS case as soon as she was gone, scanning it quietly. He got the outer case off when a signal was suddenly sent to it, causing the crystals to emerge. The Master cancelled the new signal as car horns began blaring from outside, followed by Donna and Sylvia shouting. The Master slipped the device into his pocket again and flicked the curtains aside, watching the streets fill with gas. The Doctor stood in the center of the street as Donna tried desperately to get Wilf out of their car, and he stepped aside as Sylvia ran past him to the basement.

"Lost, Doctor?" The Master murmured, narrowing his eyes. He considered, briefly, using this distraction to escape. UNIT would never think of it until the Doctor managed to pull off yet another rescue attempt of the useless planet. Something, however, told him that leaving now would be a stupid thing to do, so he instead turned around and picked his laser off the living room coffee table.

"Time for war." He whispered before he headed for the door so he could join the Doctor in battle.

**Next Time: Poison Sky**


	6. Poison Sky

**A/N: Back again! Time to get to the serious author's notes before getting to the fun. A classmate of mine was killed in a hunting accident last Friday, and while I was not personal friends with him, I was not in the lemony mood (I tried, it's just not working) . However, I promised everyone a chapter and I didn't want you to wait until this passed, so here is the chapter. Once I finish the lemon, I will add it at the end of this chapter and the lime to the earlier one. **

**A/N (2): I finished the lemon at the ending. It's a lot… heavier then I expected. I had planned on just smexings, but the Master wanted a confrontation. Oh well, who am I to argue? So here this is, as well as the lime for the last chapter. I'm writing the Doctor's Daughter as we speak!**

**Review Responses:**

**Evil-sami-poo****: Don't worry, I will eventually add all the slashy bits by the end of the month. Oh, I love Jenny and the Master. It's one of my favorite relationships in this fic!**

**Courage_Sun****: D'awww, thanks! I've tried really hard to keep up the crazy of the show in my writing. **

**MicroChips****: The Master is one of my alltime favorite characters. I think I will post the slashy bits here, once I write them. **

The Doctor's mind was racing. The Sontarans were using the cars to get exhaust into the air, but he didn't know why. He needed a way to get rid of the fatal gas and then he needed to make sure the Sontarans didn't destroy the Earth.

"Doctor!" Donna yelled from the car. "Help him, he can't breathe in there!" The Doctor tried to sonic the door open but the ATMOS device had it deadlocked.

"Donna… I can't," he said helplessly. Donna stared at him in disbelief and horror.

"What're we going to do?" she asked.

"Stand back, if you would Donna" The Master ordered, confidently striding across the street behind her. He smoothly drew his laser screwdriver out of his pocket and cut a circle out of the windshield, letting the gas out of the car. The Master sliced through the lock and it swung open easily.

"Another one?" The Doctor asked, smiling slightly in relief.

"Another one. But," the Master switched settings and held it up for the Doctor to see, "I gave it a stun setting so I can disable people without hearing you whine."

"I still need to take that, you know," the Doctor replied, but he was grinning.

"You don't _need_ to," the Master said, but he handed over the tool anyway.

"Doctor, what are we going to do?" Donna interrupted.

"Go back to UNIT. If we can find out what's in the gas, I can find a way to get rid of it."

"How?" Donna asked. The Master waved his hand at her.

"Oh, come now Donna. If we can stop the cars soon enough, the gas will dissipate on its own. If not, a simple chemical reaction with harmless products will do."

"And there's Ross with the…" The Doctor trailed off, staring at the beater car Ross had found. "Transport. Right. Now, alons-y!"

"Donna!" Sylvia interrupted from the doorway of the house. "You can't go with them. Stay with us!"

"Mum…" Donna shook her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

"Go on, girl," Wilf coughed. "We can take care of ourselves."

"Dad!" Sylvia exclaimed, but Donna was already heading towards the car.

"Seal off all your windows and doors." The Doctor told them. "It'll keep the gas out longer."

"Think you can stop this?" Ross asked as the Doctor got in the car and they drove out of Chisick.

"Course I can," the Doctor replied. "It's just a matter of how."

"Why don't we just cancel the signal for the ATMOS?" Donna asked.

"There's no way to," Ross supplied. "We have nothing strong enough that spans the entire planet."

"Don't you wish UNIT hadn't shot down fifteen very essential satellites?" The Master remarked with false innocence.

"Master," the Doctor said warningly.

Donna frowned. "Why did they shoot down fifteen satellites? Wouldn't they be useful?"

"Anything built by Harold Saxon was taken down," Ross spoke from the front seat, glancing at the Master through the rearview mirror.

"Probably a good idea," the Master replied, pursing his lips in the typical Harry Saxon smirk. "Though I doubt you'll ever find it all."

"They have," the Doctor said from the front seat, acting as if he wasn't paying compete attention to the conversation.

"Pity, then."

"Ross," Donna said suddenly. "Why did you become involved with UNIT?"

"I passed all the tests," Ross replied. "They asked me if I wanted to protect the world from alien threats and I said yes. My uncle worked at Canary Wharf."

"I'm sorry," the Doctor told him softly.

"Why didn't you stop it?" Ross asked the Master. "You were on Earth. Time Lords must know about Cybermen."

"Cybermen are one of the last creatures who remember us," the Master smirked again, this one hard and cruel. "Why would I risk my plans for a few pitiful humans?" Ross's hands tightened on the wheel before Donna spoke up.

"Listen to me," She hissed, twisting to look at him. "We may not be Time Lords, but that does not mean you are any better than us. You've seen more, you've done more, and you've come up with smart little plans. I get it. But that does _not_ make you any better than me, spaceman!"

"You tell him, Donna," the Doctor cheered from the front. He knew he liked her for a reason.

"Oi!" Donna snapped, turning to glare at him. "That goes for you, too."

"What? What did I do?" The Doctor asked, voice high and indignant.

"Oh, please. You've been treating all of us like idiots who can't possible know what to do. We're out of our depth, not stupid."

"I- I do not do that!" The Doctor protested, causing the Master to snicker.

"You do, you know," the Master told him before glancing at Donna. "Don't pull favorites, do you?"

"I've done plenty of defending you, so don't push it," Donna replied.

"We're at the factory," Ross announced as he brought the car around. The smog was clouding the factory and guards were shooting out the ATMOS devices trying to stop them.

"It's so thick," Donna coughed, fanning her face as she tried to dissipate the gas.

"Doctor," Martha called as she strode up to them. "All the cars are going off."

The Doctor kept his eyes from watering as her stench hit him and a glance towards the Master told him he smelt it too.

"They're doing it all over the world, Miss Jones, not just here. It's rather brilliant," the Master said. The Martha clone didn't even glance at him.

"Martha, will you study a gas sample? See if you can find out what's in it." The Doctor suggested, and the Martha clone immediately headed towards the operations base.

"Can we keep her?" The Master asked eagerly. "I actually like his one."

"What are you talking about?" Donna asked in between coughs.

"Donna, go with the Master to the TARDIS. The air will be clean there," the Doctor told her, concerned with her difficulty breathing.

"Just why should I go with her?" The Master asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Because it's only a matter of time before UNIT decides that one of their bullets should go astray," the Doctor replied. "You have a habit of being killed by friendly fire." The Master stared at the Doctor for a moment before turning in his heel and heading for the TARDIS. The Doctor shook his head and reached inside his coat before pulling out a key.

"Here, it's your own personal get-to-keep key to the TARDIS. Rather special. You'll need it, because he might lock you out with the mood he's in," The Doctor said as he handed it to her.

"You two need to stop with your mind tricks," Donna told the Doctor before she followed the Master. She breathed a sigh of relief when she opened the TARDIS door and stepped into clean air. The Master sat reclining on the seat, his feet propped up on the TARDIS's console.

"He's going to have some difficulty," the Master remarked. "He can clear the air easily but the Sontarans will attack the Earth if he does. Would you rather suffocate or be massacred?"

"He's saved the Earth before, he can do it again," Donna replied, coming to sit on the seat next to him. "Martha will come round you know."

"No, she won't," the Master replied, taking off his hat and glasses. "She'll always be suspicious of me. But I don't really care. Miss Jones doesn't matter to me."

"You don't care about her," Donna repeated before shaking her head. "Fine. But you have to have some feeling towards her. She was the Doctor's companion. You cared enough to capture her family."

"Strategy. It was another way to get the Doctor to come to the Valiant. You can't take over the world when the Doctor's running around and using people as weapons."

"He doesn't use people as weapons!" Donna protested. The Master rolled his eyes.

"He finds people and he uses them to solve little problems. Do you know how he stopped me?" The Master asked her before continuing. "He sent little Martha Jones to walk across the world all on her own. Martha Jones is a much harder woman for knowing the Doctor. She's seen many things. I've made sure of it."

"Then you created Martha Jones," Donna snapped.

"Maybe. But I did not create Rose Tyler, Mickey Smith, Jackie Tyler, Jack Harkness, or some of the others who died instead. Of course, I'm just listing these from this regeneration. Would you like me to go farther back?"

"Rose…" Donna trailed off. "He wouldn't use her as a weapon."

"No, but she became one anyway. She's the reason he looks like he does now. If she was here, I'd worry for his safety."

"What are you talking about?" Donna asked before the TARDIS suddenly shook sharply.

"What happened?" Donna gasped, hands gripping the seat. The Master didn't reply as he moved to look at the TARDIS's console screen, careful not to touch it.

"We've been moved. We seem to be five thousand miles above the Earth," He murmured, eyes taking in the Gallifreyan characters.

"Where?" Donna asked, coming to stand next to him.

"Press that," the Master ordered, pointing at a button. It switched to showing the outside, where a group of Sontarans were gathered around a console of their own.

"That's a Sontaran?" Donna asked as she stared at the screen. "Is that the TARDIS door?"

The Master strode to the door and quietly opened it, noting none of them around.

"What if they try to break in?" Donna asked when the Master closed the door.

"Their spy doesn't know the Doctor sent us here. If they did we'd be guarded better," He replied, doing a silent inventory of the console room.

"Will they try to get in to steal the TARDIS?"

"Eventually, if the Doctor fails to stop them and they take control of the Earth," He pointed to a switch on the console. "Flip that to deadlock the door, if you want." The Master picked Martha's old cell phone off the console and began dialing.

"What're you doing?" Donna asked, coming to stand next to him.

"I'm trying to phone UNIT," the Master replied, making an annoyed face when he reached the recording. He glanced at the TARDIS screen just as Rose Tyler's face flashed across it, mouthing the Doctor's name. Before the Master could react it switched to reveal the UNIT base .The Doctor spoke to the Sontaran leader, General Staal, causing Donna's head to snap towards the screen.

"Look!" Donna exclaimed, pointing to the console's screen, now clear of any of the Master's competition. The Doctor stood next to Mace, his face grim and hard. That meant there had been some deaths, then.

"Doctor! We're here! Can you hear me?" Donna asked frantically.

"Of course he can't hear you, Donna. It's a screen. And even if he could it wouldn't be very good for the Sontarans to hear you as well, would it?" The Master snapped. He turned away from the screen and allowed Donna to listen to the Doctor's words with the Sontarans, only half paying attention. It was really only the Doctor lecturing them on lives lost. The thing troubling the Master was Rose's face on the console. Rose Tyler, the human the Doctor used to replace him. And why wouldn't he? She was young, pretty, and impressionable, she had an irritating amount of bubbly kindness, and most of all she was _human._ She was everything the Doctor had ever wanted and he knew that the moment she returned, he'd be dropped like a stone. He had watched their travels, and he had no doubt that she would be too jealous to allow the Doctor's former male lover to hang around, Time Lord or not. He also was sure that the Doctor would choose his treasured Rose Tyler over himself in a heartbeat.

"That's me!" Donna exclaimed as the Doctor said seemingly unimportant Latin phrase.

"I believe that's the point, Donna," The Master said as he came to look at the screen.

"Haven't you ever wondered about the TARDIS's design, Staal?" The Doctor asked. "It's a telephone box. It has a telephone inside, sort of symbolic. Like if only we could communicate, you and I?"

"The cell phone!" Donna gasped.

"Yes, thank you. Hadn't worked that out," the Master replied, snorting at the Doctor's obvious display.

"You shouldn't have shown it to me, though," the Doctor continued, holding up his sonic screwdriver. "I have a remote control."

"End transmission!" Staal yelled, and they soon felt the TARDIS move again.

"Clever," the Master said. "He tricked them into moving us out of range of the teleport, so we won't be guarded as closely."

"What're we going to do?" Donna asked.

"Wait," the Master stared darkly at Martha's old cell phone. "He'll call us when we're useful. He can't call us if she's in hearing distance anyway, otherwise she'd report it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Never mind," the Master sighed, wishing he hadn't left his other screwdrivers in his room. He didn't trust the TARDIS enough to go looking for it without the Doctor there to keep her in line.

"This is all we can do?" Donna demanded as her voice bordered on hysteria. The Master eyed her before holding out the cell phone.

"Call your family. You'll be able to tell if the Doctor tries to get through." He said, holding it up until she took it. Donna shakily sat down on one of the grated steps and began dialing. The Master ignored her conversation, too engrossed in his own thoughts.

He dreaded the drums after the Doctor pushed away in favor of his three companions. The Doctor might have enough decency to at least drop him off on any planet besides Earth so his face would not be recognized. It angered the Master immensely that the Doctor would ever allow humans to come between them. After all, he'd been the first in the Doctor's life. But the Doctor had no care for him then, and he only realized what he had done when the Master welcomed him back after leaving with a new name and a cold shoulder. The Doctor's decision made the Master realize the other Time Lord was like everyone else. Only the Master could truly see the Universe. But he still had that driving need to be near the Doctor, and if he needed to hurt him to have him pay attention then it was the Doctor's own fault. The Doctor needed to understand that as the last two Time Lords they were the two Gods of the universe. He was already a legend even though he tried to deny it.

Martha's phone rang suddenly and Donna jumped before she answered it.

"Doctor?" She asked, but the Master took the phone before she heard his reply.

"Oi!" She hissed, but the Master waved her away.

"Doctor," the Master said into the phone. Donna stepped beside him to hear the Doctor through the speaker. " Saw your little display. Very subtle."

"Calmed Donna, didn't it?" the Doctor replied. "Now, they've shut off all transportation channels so you'll have to turn them back on."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Donna exclaimed, causing the Master to give her a dirty look.

"I need the use of my ears, Donna," he said before replying to the Doctor. "We have a guard on us, and I don't have a certain handy screwdriver to disable him."

"Hit him on the probic vent," the Doctor said.

"With what? I'd need something hard to hit it with," the Master replied.

"Like this?" Donna asked, holding up the hammer the Doctor had used to pilot the TARDIS earlier.

"Perfect," the Master snatched the hammer from her and headed towards the door.

"Wait, we're going out there?" Donna asked, grabbing the Master's arm to stop him.

"We can't open the channels from here, Donna," the Master replied with a roll of his eyes.

"They'll try to kill us!" Donna protested, loud enough the Doctor could hear her through the phone.

"Yes, I know," the Doctor's voice said. "I'm sorry."

"Now, enough waiting. Be quiet," the Master told Donna before he quietly opened the door and slipped outside. Donna watched as he silently crept behind the Sontaran before his arm snapped up and delivered a blow to the back of the guard's neck.

"Back of the neck," the Master announced triumphantly as the guard fell to the ground.

"Oh, you are brilliant," the Doctor breathed into the phone. The Master raised his eyebrows.

"I'm all for phone sex, Doctor, but now is hardly the time. Of course, if you want to…"

"Hardly the time," the Doctor agreed with an amused voice before he was distracted. "I have to go, do you know what you're looking for?"

"Yes, Doctor. I'm not an idiot."

"Good. Keep the line open," the Doctor hurriedly hung up the phone and the Master slipped the hammer back into the TARDIS before he locked the door.

"Time to move, Donna," the Master said as they walked down the hallway.

"How're we supposed to get through that door? The pad is for Sontarans," Donna asked, trailing close behind.

"Live long and prosper," the Master replied, separating his fingers to form three prongs.

"Oh!" Donna murmured in sudden understanding. They continued through another hallway, the Master several steps ahead of Donna. Just as the Master passed a door it slid open and he flattened himself against the wall, hoping Donna was doing the same. When the Sontarans were gone he stepped out to see her crouched behind the other alcove, shaking.

"Donna," he said firmly and held out a hand to her. "I'm going to get you through this alive."

"Thank you," she replied, accepting his outstretched palm and pulling herself up by it.

"It should be around here," the Master said, heading towards another hallway. Donna followed closely, unwilling to be left behind.

"There it is," the Master breathed when he reached the panel. He undid the cover and flicked the appropriate switches, grinning in satisfaction when the lights turned blue.

"Mission accomplished, Doctor," he said into the phone.

"Really? Quicker than I thought. Hold tight, I'm still working down here," the Doctor replied as two Sontaran guards came around the corner.

"But we've been found out," the Master replied before quickly raising his hands in surrender.

"Don't shoot! General Staal will be very unhappy with you if you shoot a Time Lord," the Master told them, releasing his breath when they lowered their guns slightly.

"You are not the Doctor," one of them said.

"Just the Master," he replied, causing them to bring their guns up again.

"The Master is an enemy of the Sontarans!" the other guard shouted.

"Several other races, actually, so don't feel special," the Master corrected.

"What are you doing?" Donna hissed as they leveled their guns at them just as they were teleported away. The Doctor stood before them at the opening of the transport, sonic screwdriver in hand.

"Took you long enough," the Master muttered, as Donna ran to hug the Doctor.

"Hold on! We're not done yet," the Doctor protested as he ran to the controls and soniced the TARDIS back to its rightful place.

"Right, now we have to get rid of the gas. Come on, Martha," the Doctor called, and the real Martha jumped up from beside the body of her clone.

"There's two of you?" Donna asked as Martha continued to monitor the nuclear launch.

"Yeah, long story," the Doctor replied. "Coming?"

Donna hesitantly stepped into the transport, standing next to the Master. He leaned over and whispered into her ear.

"Don't worry, Donna. This is the fun part. Time to save the Earth, for once."

"There, the whole team together!" the Doctor said cheerfully as he pressed the button. "Well, the new old and older team, anyway."

"This is the Rattigan Academy, I take it?" the Master asked as he stepped out of the transport, barely glancing at the teenager waving a gun at them. "Is he supposed to be the boy genius?"

"If I see one more gun…" the Doctor muttered, walking past Rattigan and chucking his gun into the corner. The Doctor began running around one of the labs in the building, assembling pieces. The Master looked on, making a few suggestions until he saw some of the components going in.

"Doctor," the Master began, his eyes beginning to narrow suspiciously. "That's putting in more than you need to simply get rid of the gas in the atmosphere."

The Doctor paused as he reached for a round metal tub, before his shoulders sagged guiltily. He turned to face the Master, sticking his hands into his pockets as he took his confrontational stance. The Master raised an eyebrow.

"You're posing. What are you about to do?" the Master asked, eyeing the Doctor warily. The Doctor looked at him with tired brown eyes, eyes that he only pulled out when he was being honest and incredibly stupid.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said quietly before he pulled out the Master's laser and switched settings.

"Oh don't you _dare,_" the Master hissed as the Doctor leveled it at him. He lunged forward just as the Doctor shot an orange beam into his chest. The Master slumped to the floor as the Doctor watched him miserably.

"What did you do?" Donna shrieked, looking at the Master's body in horror. Even Martha and Rattigan looked shocked.

"I knocked him unconscious using his stun setting," the Doctor replied softly. "He would have stopped me."

"From what?" Martha asked. The Doctor didn't say anything before he grabbed the atmosphere converter and ran out to the lawn leaving the humans to follow him. He planted the converter into the ground and sent a fireball into the atmosphere. The gas combusted, burning across the earth, leaving the sky clear.

"You did it!" Donna cheered.

"Now we're in trouble," the Doctor replied, grabbing the converter and running inside back to Rattigan's office. The Doctor reset the coordinates before turning to the humans.

"Donna, thank you. You have saved my life so many times. Martha you are brilliant. You have done so many things other people could never even dream of," he paused and looked at Rattigan. "Luke, do something clever with your life."

"But…" Donna shook her head. "You're saying goodbye."

"I've set this to convert to Sontaran air, but I have to go up to detonate it," the Doctor replied.

"Put it on a timer!" Martha protested.

"I can't. I have to give them a chance," the Doctor beamed himself up just as the Master stumbled into the room, grabbing the doorframe for support.

"Thats…" the Master trailed off, staring blankly at the empty transport cube. Martha and Donna hung onto each other, crying as Rattigan shook his head before darting forward to fiddle with the controls.

"What are you doing?" the Master asked, as Rattigan closed the wiring and stood up.

"Something clever," he replied before disappearing, replaced by the Doctor as the Master felt the air above them shudder. He could feel the lives destroyed, and he closed his eyes, savoring the death before he straightened himself up and began to walk.

The Doctor sagged as he stumbled out of the transporter, knowing instantly what had happened. Donna and Martha rushed to him, both feeling indescribable relief. The Doctor leaned back, Rattigan's death already added to his conscience. He suddenly realized that the Master wasn't in the room.

"Where's the Master?" he asked, causing Martha and Donna to look up.

"He was right next to us a second ago," Donna said as the Doctor jumped up, panic beginning to rise. If the Master managed to use any of the technology in the school, he might be able to leave him again. The Doctor ran into the front room, noting that nothing noteworthy was missing before he saw the Master out of the window, heading towards the driveway. Donna and Martha ran after him as he sprinted towards the door.

"Master!" He yelled again as he caught up to him. "Where are you going?" When the Master didn't reply he laid a hand on his shoulder to stop him. The Master whirled around and the Doctor belatedly realized he made a mistake as the Master punched him in the jaw. He fell to the ground as Donna and Martha shouted their protests, but neither Time Lord paid any attention to them. The Doctor stared up at the Master, whose eyes where flashing with anger.

"I'm sorry," the Doctor said, slowly standing up.

"Of course you are," the Master spat. "You're always sorry. But you never stop doing the wrong things, do you?"

"I needed to stop them before they attacked the Earth," the Doctor explained. "And I had to give them I choice. I can't kill them without giving them a chance."

"We both know Sontarans wouldn't back down. They can't. You know you were going to die," the Master replied. "You have a death wish, Doctor."

"I do not!" the Doctor protested. "If I killed them without giving them a chance I'd be…"

"Me?" the Master sneered, narrowing his eyes. "Don't worry, you wouldn't be. You're far too weak. You can't even accept yourself."

"What are you talking about?" the Doctor asked, trying to figure out what was truly angering the Master.

"Do you really think you're a savior?" the Master asked before turning and gesturing at Martha. "Miss Jones. Look what a good little soldier she is now."

"If anyone turned me into a soldier, it's you," Martha snapped. "You were the one I had to stop."

"Are you defending him, Martha?" the Master asked, his attention on her. "You're right. He must be a good man even though he purposely strung you along, so he wouldn't be alone. He knew how you felt, and he didn't mind hurting you so long as he wasn't lonely." The Doctor and Martha flinched and she fell silent.

"But we don't talk about that, do we?" the Master turned back to the Doctor. "No, because the Doctor is faultless. Pure, perfect Doctor who never does anything wrong." The Doctor stared at the Master, surprised by this outburst.

"You can never be me, Doctor," the Master repeated, leaning closer so only he could hear him. "I admit the monster I am."

They stood there, staring at each other. Martha and Donna watched from the sidelines, too afraid to breathe. They were painfully aware now that the Doctor and the Master were not human. They felt as if they were intruding on a god's disagreement.

The Doctor stared into the Master's eyes as the other Time Lord silently dared him to respond. The Doctor was once again afraid that the Master would leave him behind and desperately reached out to him. His fingers grasped the sides of the Master's face and kissed him hard. The Master responded with a growl, grabbing the Doctor's head as his fingers dug into his hair and held him into place.

"Okay." Donna interrupted, coughing into her hand. "Martha and I are going to get UNIT to pick us up. Why don't you two beam yourselves into getting a room?"

"You do know how to ruin dramatic moments, Donna," the Master replied with an annoyed eye roll, but he grabbed the Doctor and dragged him into the Academy.

"I don't know if I like this," Martha muttered.

"I think it'll do them good," Donna replied. "I mean, they still haven't had sex."

"Donna," Martha turned to glare at the other companion. "There are some things I don't want to know, and this is definitely under that category."

"Come on," Donna held up the cell phone. "Let's call."

*------------*

The Master closed the door to the Doctor's room, facing the other Time Lord who stood in the center, watching him. He carefully circled around him before he lay on the bed, leaning against the headboard. The Doctor moved to join him but the Master held up a hand to stop him.

"Strip first," he ordered, watching him expectantly. The Doctor paused before he obeyed, undoing his tie and shedding his jacket. He slowly undid the buttons on his shirt, revealing his pale chest and stomach inch by inch. His trousers pooled around his ankles before he stepped out of them.

"Nothing underneath?" the Master asked with a raised eyebrow. "If you don't want the trousers tight, try getting a bigger size."

"I thought you liked me in tight clothing," the Doctor replied, coming to the bed when the Master beckoned to him.

"True. But you've never been quite so skinny and pale. And long," the Master paused in fake thought. "Hard to be attractive like that."

"You have wonderful pillow talk," the Doctor replied with a small smirk. "I thought you said you liked this regeneration."

"There are moments. I don't keep things I don't like," the Master said easily, running his fingers along the Doctor's face.

"What things do you like?" the Doctor breathed, not used to having someone look at him this closely and perfectly able to see everything. The Master tipped his head to the side.

"When your eyes flash or your tongue does ridiculous things. Besides, you have a sort of broken quality when your face looks like you'll either start sobbing or kill someone." he said, before smirking. "Of course, you never do what you're told."

"I'll try to keep my murdering tongue inside my mouth," the Doctor replied in amusement.

"What's the fun in that?" the Master asked before he dug his fingers into the Doctor's hair and dragged him on top of his own body. The Master ran his fingers along the Doctor's chest and stomach, lightly raking the skin. He pinched the Doctor's nipples, causing him to gasp into the kiss before he tried to undo the Master's buttons.

"Oh no you don't." The Master stopped him and pushed him away. "Explain to me why I should."

"Why…" The Doctor trailed off, staring at the Master. "What do you mean?"

"Why should I have sex with someone who never stops to think about me?"

"Never thi- I've never stopped thinking about you!" the Doctor exclaimed.

"Oh, you say that but," here the Master gave a pointed glance between the Doctor's legs. "I think you'd say anything right now."

"I've thought about you more than is healthy," the Doctor admitted. "What do you want me to do, show you?" The Master's eyes narrowed and his head tilted slightly.

"Maybe I do," the Master replied, sitting up. The Doctor stared at him before he scoffed and left the bed to gather his clothes.

"I don't want to play this game," the Doctor snapped. "Stop teasing. If you're using sex to try to control me it won't work."

"I don't need sex to control you," the Master snorted.

"Then why do you get me to this point and then push me away!?" the Doctor yelled, throwing his clothes down again. He leaned forward onto the bed, fingers digging into the covers. "Just when I think you'll finally let me in, you-"

"Let you in?" the Master repeated. "Why would I do that? You're not worthy of being let in."

"Oh, is that right?" the Doctor snarled. "I'm not worthy even though I've tried to meet you halfway on everything."

"You don't do anything halfway. You can't even let me use a non-lethal screwdriver. I'm forced to be near you, but you can come and go. What is even remotely halfway about that?"

"You've tried to destroy everything I've cared about multiple times. I think giving you this much leeway might be too much after everything you've done to me."

"Everything I've done to you?" the Master's voice was quiet and dripping with venom. "Everything _I've_ done to _you_?"

"All I've ever tried to do is reach out to you! Get you to understand, to-" The Doctor was cut off by the Master grabbing him and throwing him on the bed, snarling as he moved. The Doctor tried to push him off, but the Master was fueled by too much pent up anger.

"You. Left. Me," the Master hissed, pinning the Doctor down. His fingers dug into the Doctor's skin as he struggled to control the impulse to kill him and watch him regenerate. "You left and you never once looked back. You didn't even think of me until you accidentally met me again, did you? And then you never approved of who I became. Of who I had to be, because I couldn't run from the mess we created. No, I had stay with our people and endure everything _alone_. "

The Doctor stared up at the Master wordlessly. The Master hadn't always been like this. The Doctor remembered, he remembered Koschei, the first person he had ever met who truly understood him, and how he had fallen in love. And he remembered being Theta, and being too young to ever understand it. But most of all he remembered the moment when he found that Koschei was dead and there was a new person, the Master, in his place. All of the love and pure joy he had come to treasure had been twisted and defiled and turned into a man who was fueled by an unending rage. And now, after so long, the Doctor realized it was all his doing. He was the one who killed Koschei.

"No…" the Doctor whispered, staring up at the Master in horror.

"Oh, playing innocent now, because nothing's ever your fault," the Master snapped, misunderstanding the Doctor. His hand whipped across his face but the Doctor barely felt the blow even though he could feel his nerves reacting. The pain from that was nothing.

"I didn't know," the Doctor said softly. "I didn't… I'm sorry."

"You're sorry," the Master repeated dully, and the Doctor could see the hysteria begin to flare up in his eyes.

"If you knew what I've-" the Doctor began before he stopped himself. The Master stared at him in disgust and began to move off him but the Doctor grabbed his hands. "Let me show you."

He brought the Master's fingers to his temples and closed his eyes letting his mental shields down. The Master hesitated before he pushed in suddenly, penetrating the Doctor's mind. The Doctor gasped at the sudden intrusion but he pulled him in deeper. The Doctor tried to surround him with every feeling he had ever felt. Every bit of confusion, anger, the overwhelming sense of loss and regret, and all the other feelings he had. The Master was still before he reached out, spreading out tendrils in the Doctor's mind and they blended. Both Time Lords gasped, bodies automatically reaching for each other as their minds met. This was what the Doctor had missed, what humans could never possible do, and what only the Master could give him.

The Doctor was vaguely aware of his own fingers tearing the Master's shirt off before the Master spit in his hand and quickly prepared the Doctor before he entered him. They weren't gentle thrusts, but the Doctor didn't care as he basked in the sensation of having the Master inside his mind and body. The Master was just as desperate as they rubbed against each other and were lost in the pleasure. The Doctor fell over the edge first and brought the Master with him, pleasure filling his body in a way he had not felt for regenerations. He opened his eyes and saw the Master staring down at him, eyes filled with passion and desire. After a moment had passed the Master pulled out and the Doctor winced at the sudden loss of contact before he retreated from his mind as well, only more gentle. He dropped onto the bed next to the Doctor and they lay there breathing heavily until the Doctor finally spoke.

"Thank you," the Doctor said quietly, knowing that the Master could have easily destroyed him while inside his head instead of making love to him. The Master looked at him, considering before he turned his head the other way.

"Yeah."

"I… I really am sorry. Truly, properly sorry. I wouldn't have done it if I had known that you were in as deep as I was. I thought I was just a toy to you."

"I know what you thought," the Master replied with a sigh. "I know."

The Doctor watched him before the corner of his lips turned upward slightly. "I'm glad you were with me." The Master glared at him in irritation and rolled his eyes.

"We are not getting sentimental," he said sharply, but he didn't get up. The Doctor's smile grew but he didn't say anything. They lay there, side by side, until they felt like they could go into the universe once more.

**Next Time: The Doctor's Daughter**


	7. The Doctor's Daughter

**A/N: Well, here is the next chapter, as promised. So, I've gotten a new beta, the wonderful dreamerinfic, who is graciously agreed to work with me on this. So yay and thank you! Chapters that I posted without a Beta will be edited. Grammar is not my friend. **

**Review Responses: **

**Evil-sami-poo: Jenny!**

**Microchips: John Simms is indeed amazing. I was a Ten girl through and through until he danced his maniacal way across the screen. Now, I'm so conflicted. I've resolved it by slashing them, so I get two for the price of one. **

**Thought: Aw, thanks! **

**Triana2: You know he saw this coming and built up a supply before he headed out to find the Doctor. Maybe he created a Progenation machines for laser screwdrivers… As for the jaw, I knew not watching Series 1 and 2 for a couple of years was going to come back to bite me. Oh well. Maybe… when he pulled a Tinkerbelle in S3 it brought him back tougher and River Song wears brass knuckles? Yes, that'll do. Thanks for giving me the heads up about Davros.**

**Nivalis: I do try to work on banter. Half the time it writes itself, the other half it devolves into arguing and I have to send them to their corners. I'm glad you like my slashy bits (wow, that sounded worse than it did in my head!), as this is the first time I've posted them. Critique away! It's just what I need, and I got a beta, so that'll clear itself up. As for the "sonic"… *toddles off to fix it* **

**----**

The Doctor and the Master joined Martha at the ATMOS factory while Donna visited her family again. The Doctor assured Mace that Martha was no longer a security threat and showed them how to deprogram the workers. By the time he returned the Master was leaning against the TARDIS looking miserably at the sky.

"What's wrong with you?" The Doctor asked as the jeep delivered Donna. The Master wordlessly pointed to the_ Valiant_ hovering above them.

"My precious." He moaned. "What have they done to you? They used you to _help_."

"If it makes you feel any better, they used your lasers during the fight." The Doctor replied, the corners of his mouth curling in amusement.

"That does make it slightly more bearable." The Master admitted as Donna walked to them.

"Feel better?" Donna asked them with a knowing smirk before she unlocked the TARDIS and stepped inside, leaving the Time Lords to follow her. Martha was already inside so she could pull some spare clothes out of her old room. She couldn't walk around all day in the Doctor's coat, after all.

"My family's fine." She told the Doctor. "They felt much better after they found out you were the one that solved it."

"I'm glad." The Doctor replied. "Fancy a trip?"

"No." Martha shook her head. "Sorry, but I have to go and take care of people."

"I understand." The Doctor replied as Martha turned to the Master.

"You helped save the Earth."

"I did." The Master replied, his arms folded as he regarded her with blank eyes.

"Knowing Donna and the Doctor are here makes it better." Martha said before she sharpened her tone. "But if we ever catch you on Earth unattended we will shoot first and ask questions after."

"Duly noted." The Master replied without emotion. Martha watched him for a second more before she headed towards the door.

"Keep him in line, Donna." She called over her shoulder. She was one step to the door when it slammed shut and the TARDIS began to dematerialize.

"Doctor!" Martha screamed as the TARDIS shook. "Stop right now and take me home!"

"It's not me. I'm not doing anything." The Doctor protested as he stumbled towards the console.

"What did you do?" Martha demanded when another rock sent her flying to the rail next to the Master.

"I didn't do anything. You think she lets me touch her?" The Master asked before the TARDIS landed, sending the humans to the floor as the Time Lords remained upright.

"What happened?" Donna gasped as she and Martha helped each other up.

"The TARDIS took off on her own. But why here?" The Doctor looked at the console as the Master opened the door.

"We're in a tunnel." He called, stepping outside. The Doctor and the women followed, closing the door behind them.

"Why'd the TARDIS want us to come here?" Donna asked. The Doctor opened his mouth to reply as a group of armed men rushed towards them.

"Hands in the air!" The leader ordered and everyone, including a reluctant Master, obeyed.

"We don't have any weapons!" The Doctor said, showing both sides of his hand as proof. "Never any weapons."

"Look at their hands!" A man gasped. "They're clean."

"What?" The Doctor asked in confusion.

"Process him!"

"What!" The Doctor exclaimed as they dragged him over to a large machine and stuck his arm inside a large hole. "Is this what I think this is- ow!"

"What?" The Master asked, taking a threatening step forward.

"It took a tissue sample." The Doctor stumbled backwards as the machine released him. Donna and Martha ran to look at his hand but he and the Master only stared at the machine in front of him.

"It isolated my DNA and extrapolated it." The Doctor stammered.

"This is _just_ what we need." The Master growled, rolling his eyes as a young blonde girl stepped out of the machine, staring curiously at her surroundings.

"Who is she?" Donna asked as one of the men handed the girl a gun.

"She's my daughter." The Doctor replied as he stared blankly at her.

"She's your clone." The Master corrected with a snort as the girl cocked her fun and grinned at the Doctor.

"Hello, Dad.' She said as she stepped off the platform to talk to the leader.

"What do you mean clone? She doesn't look anything like him!" Donna said.

"Progenation. They extrapolated his DNA and isolated it. The diploids and haploids-" The Master began, but Donna cut him off.

"In English!"

"The Doctor is genetically the mother and the father, right?" Martha finally said. "So she's his clone and his daughter at the same time."

"Weird." Donna whispered as the girl and the men leveled their guns at the other

end of the tunnel.

"Are you primed to take orders and read to fight?" The leader asked the girl as they took positions behind a pile of metal scrap.

"Instant download of all military and strategic protocol, sir. Generation five thousand, soldier primed and in peak physical help." She turned her head and grinned at him. "Oh, I'm ready."

A door at the end of the hallway shifted and shadowy figures darted against the wall as bullets began firing at them.

"It's the Hath; fire!" The leader ordered as they began to retreat, letting lose their own weapons. The Hath were humanoids with purple heads and pink gills, with a green vile of liquid to breathe.

"Get down!" The Doctor's daughter yelled at them as a bullet barely missed Martha's head. She ducked down behind a piece of metal while the Doctor and the Master pulled Donna backwards to the back of the tunnel. Two men were shot down and the Doctor quickly crouched next to them to see if he could see them.

"Get the detonator!" The leader yelled, causing the Doctor to glare at him.

"I'm not detonating anything!" He snapped, not finding a pulse on one body before moving on to the second one. A Hath grabbed Martha and another one went for the girl but she quickly disarmed him and pushed him away with a firm foot to the chest. She stumbled backwards to the ground and grabbed the detonator as the Hath dragged Martha further away to the other end of the tunnel.

"Don't!" The Doctor protested as she pushed the button. "Martha!" The alarm began to blare and the Master pulled the Doctor back before they ran from the bomb, diving behind refuse littering the tunnel. The explosion propelled them forward, forcing the air to blow past them. The Doctor sprang up as soon as the blinding light disappeared and ventured into the smoke and dust only to find a looming wall of destroyed tunnel in front of him, leaving Martha and the TARDIS on the other side

"What did you do that for?" The Doctor angrily asked the girl.

"They were trying to kill us!" she replied, staring up at him in disbelief.

"They have my friend." The Doctor said, glaring at her.

"Collateral damage." She replied harshly. "At least you still have those two; our commander lost both his men. I'd say you came out ahead."

"Her name's Martha." Donna snapped. "And she's not collateral damage, not for anyone."

"Are you sure you're the Doctor's daughter? You're not nearly soft enough." The

Master said as the girl stared at them in confusion. The Doctor shook his head and turned away.

"I'm going to go find Martha." He muttered, but was stopped as the leader cocked his gun.

"You're not going anywhere. You don't make any sense. You've got no guns, no marks, and no fight in you." He said. "I'm taking you to General Cobb."

"How do you manage to get into these situations, Doctor?" The Master asked as they were led along. "Even your TARDIS malfunctions just to get you to these places."

"She brought us here for a reason. I just… don't know why yet." The Doctor replied. Donna ignored the two of them, choosing to walk with the Doctor's daughter.

"I'm Donna. What's your name, then?" She asked her.

"I don't know, it's not been assigned yet. I hope it's a good one. Not like Cline. No offense, Cline." She called back to the leader who only rolled his eyes.

"Well, what do you know?" Donna asked.

"How to fight." The girl replied, glancing back at Donna in confusion.

"The machine must imbed military history and tactics but no name. She's a generated anomaly." The Doctor commented, unimpressed as he eyed her.

"My kind of anomaly." The Master snickered, rolling his eyes when the Doctor glared at him. "I meant about the military downloads."

"Generated anomaly. Generated…" Donna repeated, mulling over the words. "Well how about that? Jenny."

"Jenny." The girl grinned before she tested the name out on her tongue. "I like that! Jenny."

"Oh no, we're giving her a name. I think Donna means to keep her." The Master said, smirking when the Doctor gave him another look.

"You're not a natural parent, are you?" Donna teased as the Doctor stiffened.

"They stole a tissue sample at gunpoint and processed it. I wouldn't call it natural parenting." He snapped.

"He isn't, though. Worst sort of role model, anyway. He encourages TARDIS stealing." The Master added before tsking. "You need to behave around your daughter."

"Look! Just because I share certain physiological traits with primates doesn't make me a monkey's uncle!" The Doctor protested.

"I'm not a monkey!" Jenny protested indignantly as the Doctor ignored her and walked past. "Or a child."

"Where are we, anyway?" The Doctor asked as Cline brought them to a large chamber.

"Messaline. What's left of it, anyway." He replied before he left to find Cobb. They wandered inside to find two more replication machines as men and women in fatigues milled around a theater. Large beds and ammunitions were stacked around them next to odd set pieces and technology. Cline went over to an older man and began to talk to him before they came to talk to them.

"This is like a refugee camp underground." Donna said, looking around. "Why?"

"General Cobb, I presume." The Doctor said, standing up.

"End of the western tunnel with no marks." Cobb said, eying them suspiciously. "There were reports of pacifism breaking out in the Eastern zone before we lost contact ages ago. I assume that's where you came from."

"Oh, yes." The Doctor nodded. "East. That's us. I'm the Doctor, this is Donna and the Master."

"And I'm Jenny." The girl added.

"Don't think you can infect us with your peacemaking." Cobb snapped.

"Oh, I don't plan on infecting anyone with anything. We're going to go find our friend." The Doctor replied cheerfully.

"You're not going anywhere. All movements are regulated." Cobb's eyes hardened. "We're at war."

"Yes, I guessed that because of the ammunitions and the fatigues." The Master said. "But I'm glad to hear it confirmed by you. We got a bit cut off, Eastern zone and all that, so can you tell us who exactly the Hath are, besides being our enemies are?"

As Cobb related the story of the planet's settlement and the shattered peace, the Master was eyeing the equipment, making note of what they had and the state of the men while the Doctor asked questions. He also kept an eye on Jenny, who was listening to Cobb with rapt attention. Perhaps she had potential.

"There's earth outside." Donna called to them, standing next to a window. "Why not go outside?"

"It's too dangerous. That's why we're underground." Cline replied.

"Then why build windows in the first place? And what does this mean?" Donna pointed to a metal plaque below the window with the numbers printed on it.

"They're the rites and symbols of our ancestors." Cobb replied, shaking his head." The meanings lost in time."

"How long has this war gone on for?" The Doctor asked suddenly.

"Longer than anyone can remember. Generations have been killed by the Hath." Cobb replied.

"Why are you fighting all this time?" Donna asked.

"We must." Jenny replied as the Master wandered over to the map. "Every child of the Machine is born with this knowledge. It's our heritage, our identity. It's all we know. How to fight and how to die."

"How much space do you fight over?" the Master asked. "Is this the entire city?"

"Including the Hath zones?" the Doctor added, scratching his chin.

"Yes. Why?" Cobb asked, looking at the Doctor suspiciously.

"It'll help us find Martha."

"We've got more important things to do." Cline replied, shaking his head. "The Progenation machines have powered done for the night, but we can breed almost two platoons from you three tomorrow."

"I don't do offspring. I was banned from having them, actually." The Master replied with a sniff. The Doctor's mouth turned up as he glanced at him.

"With due cause." The Doctor said with a chuckle.

"Says the one with an abnormal cheerleader for a daughter." The Master scoffed.

"Excuse me!" Jenny said with indignation. "How am I abnormal?"

"Where do I begin?" The Master asked, rolling his eyes. "You're just a brainwashed weapon."

"I am not brainwashed." Jenny protested. "I have my own mind and my own independent thought."

Cobb nodded approvingly. "Well said, soldier."

"And yet only minutes ago she said that all she knew was how to fight and how to die." The Master grinned. "I'm going to enjoy today."

"We need more like her." Cobb said with a glare. "We need clever ones so we can

find the Source."

"Source?" The Doctor perked up. "What Source? I like a source, what is it?"

"The Breath of Life." Cobb replied, pausing with reverence.

"I can hear the capitalization." The Master whispered to Donna.

"In the beginning the Great One breathed life into the Universe. And then, she looked at what she had done and she sighed."

"_She_," Jenny grinned. "I like that."

"Oh, and she's a feminist! Can she get anymore loveable?" The Master exclaimed.

"Behave!" Donna scolded, slapping him on the arm.

"Creation myth, then." The Doctor said as he hunched over to study the map again.

"It's not a myth!" Cobb hissed. "It's real. That sigh from the beginning of time was caught and kept as the Source."

"It was lost when the war started." Cline added. "If we find it before the Hath, then we win the entire war."

"Ha! There's a layer of suppressed information in this map." The Doctor yelled triumphantly as he cut off the soldier's conversation, drawing his screwdriver out of his coat pocket. He ran it along the map's base before more corridors and rooms appeared on the projection.

"The lost temple!" Cline exclaimed, turning to look at the Doctor in admiration. "You've shown us the way."

"And we're closer than the Hath," Cobb said, satisfaction lighting up his face. "It's ours."

"What are you going to do with the Source?" The Master asked suddenly.

"We'll use it to defeat the Hath." Cobb replied.

"If it's called the Breath of Life, why would it destroy?" The Master narrowed his eyes. "Do you have the technology to use it?"

"We'll use it to defeat the Hath." Cobb repeated confidently before he turned to the troops surrounding him. "We'll move out tomorrow once we have more men from the Progenation machines. We'll get there first and defeat the Hath so we can finally have some peace."

"Sorry, call me old fashion, but if you want peace shouldn't you just stop fighting?" The Doctor protested, stopping the old man before he could walk away.

"We'll stop when we have the Source. It'll help us wipe every single Hath from the face of this planet." He said, causing the Doctor's face to darken slightly.

"Hang on, for a minute. You were talking about peace for all time, now you're talking about genocide!"

"For us, that's the same thing." Cobb replied.

"Well then you need to get yourself a better dictionary. When you do, look up 'genocide'. You'll see a little picture of me there with the caption 'Over my dead body'!" The Doctor snapped as Cline walked up to them.

"Shouldn't it say 'Destroyer of Two Almighty Races?" The Master asked innocently, causing the Doctor to glare at him. "And don't you give me that look. I understand your meaning, I just want to point out the irony. It's my job on this little traveling tour of madness."

"You can consider that irony from your prison cell. Cline, at arms." Cobb scoffed as the soldier quickly raised his weapons. "Take them, I won't have them spreading treason," Cobb ordered before he turned to the Doctor. "And if you try anything, Doctor, I'll see that your woman dies first."

"They're not a couple." The Master said as the Doctor and Donna protested. "He's too skinny and she's too rough."

"Oi!" Donna snapped as Cobb gave Cline the orders.

"I'm going to stop you, Cobb." The Doctor promised. "You need to know that."

"I have an army and the Breath of God, Doctor. How are you going to stop me?"

"With this," The Doctor replied, pointing to his head meaningfully.

The Master scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Since when did military war zones have a requirement for cheesy lines? I know you love your campy sayings, Doctor, but really."

"Lock them up and guard them." Cobb ordered Cline, who turned to look at Jenny.

"What about the new soldier, sir?" Jenny stepped forward hopefully, every instinct downloaded into her begging for approval.

"She's one of them, we can't use her." Cobb replied, shoving her into the Doctor's arms. "She's a pacifist like them."

"I think," The Master commented as Cline led them out of the room with his gun before he locked them in a makeshift cell. "That is the first time someone has ever accused me of being a pacifist."

The Doctor said nothing as he tossed his coat down onto a bench, glancing at the Master as he sat down beside him. Donna looked around, seeing their cell was really only a landing on a staircase with bars in front of the steps. She glanced at the doorway as Cline swung it closed and clicked the lock shut before her eyes were drawn to the metal plaque above the door frame.

"More numbers," she murmured. "They have to mean something."

"Makes as much sense as the Breath of Life story." The Doctor grumbled.

"You mean that's not true?" Jenny asked, shocked.

"Yeah, sorry." Donna replied.

"Donna," the Master reprimanded. "She's not going to know the difference between myth and fact. You don't."

"I do too!" Donna protested, crossing her arms. "Of course I do!"

"How many times have you gone to church? Everything's a myth, Donna. Doesn't make it any less true for them. The Source, God, Rassilion, they're all the same."

"Rassilion?" Jenny asked. "Who's that?"

"Time Lord version of your God." the Master replied. "Only ours had a museum.

Practically made everything he ever touched a holy artifact. Well, except that one tea cozy we slipped in."

"There might still be something real in that Temple, though." The Doctor said, ignoring the Master's ranting. "Technology, even a weapon."

"We just gave directions to a weapon to Captain Genocide over there?" Donna asked.

"Rather brilliant, as long as he doesn't use it on us." The Master replied.

"Unfortunate is the word you were looking for." The Doctor corrected. "And yes, we did."

The Master grinned, finding the idea more appealing than anyone else. "Not if we get there first. If we get out of here and find a shortcut."

"We could use the Source and force a truce." The Doctor replied, sharing his smile before it faltered under Jenny's gaze. "What are you looking at?"

"Look at you!" She exclaimed, stepping forward and radiating admiration and excitement. "You say you're not a soldier, but you're already drawing up strategies like a proper general."

"No, I'm trying to stop the fighting." The Doctor snapped, glaring at her.

Jenny paused in fake thought. "Isn't every soldier?"

"Stopping it for the sake of peace is not the same as stopping it to win." The Master replied with an un-amused tone as the Doctor borrowed Donna's cell phone. "Sorry, but the peppy 'look-at-me-I'm-the-clever-girl' routine is growing old. You're enlightened for them, but you're mediocre for us."

"But now you have a weapon!" Jenny protested as the Doctor began converting it with his screwdriver. "You're using it to fight back. I am going to learn so much from you."

"Can you learn to keep your mouth shut?" The Master asked irritably. "There's only so much dribble I can take."

"That's enough!" snapped Donna. "You can both be quiet if you're going to rile each other up."

"Martha, you're alive!" The Doctor shouted, springing up happily when the girl answered her phone. The Master rolled his eyes as Donna crowded the phone, wanting to know exactly what was going on as always. He sprawled out on the bench, ignoring Jenny's curious gaze and the Doctor's inane prattle. He was glad the Doctor was trying to get as far away from Jenny as he could, but he knew it was only a matter of time before the Doctor realized a full grown girl would not be like any of his previous children and he would not have to treat her the same, or that having her around would not be replacing them. To him, she'd be another companion who traveled with him, and she wouldn't be any different besides needing basic training to control her mind and body.

"Martha! I'm here with Donna and the Master." The Doctor said before Donna interrupted him.

"And Jenny." She prompted, poking him sharply for emphasis.

"And Jenny." He repeated hesitantly. "She's the woman from the machine, the soldier. My daughter, except she's not." Jenny shook her head in frustration before she looked at the Master.

"How come you're not making a fuss about me?" She asked, crossing her arms as she pouted slightly.

"You're a biological accident. Collateral damage, if you will." The Master replied, echoing the girl's own words. "What's there to make a fuss over?"

"Martha?" the Doctor asked as the phone signal faded out. "She must have ran out of battery."

"What are we going to do?" Donna asked as the soldier's chants echoed down the corridor.

"We have to get past that guard." the Doctor muttered, nodding in Cline's direction.

"I'll deal with him." Jenny replied confidently, striding to the door.

"Oh no." The Doctor stopped her. "You're not going anywhere. You belong here, with them."

"She belongs with us." Donna protested, moving to stand beside Jenny. "She's your daughter."

"She's a soldier!" The Doctor snapped, and the Master could feel the pain those words caused within him as they reminded him of who he had lost, especially when held against this mockery of a relationship. The Doctor could have easily created children this way on his own if he had wanted any. "She came out of that machine."

"I know that bit." Donna pressed on, not understanding just what the Doctor was reacting to. "Listen, do you have that stethoscope? Let me see it."

"We know where you're going with this, Donna." the Master snapped, sitting up. "We can feel her mind clear as day. We know she's biologically a Time Lord. Just because she has two hearts does not make her one of us."

"She belongs." Donna insisted. "Where else would she belong? Certainly not here. She's a- what do you call a female Time Lord?"

"Time Lord." Jenny repeated. "There's that word again. What does it mean?"

"It's who I am. It's what we are." The Doctor replied, gesturing to the Master.

"So I'm from you?" Jenny asked in confusion.

The Doctor glared at her, speaking sharply. "You're an echo. A Time Lord is so much more. A knowledge, a code, a shared history, a shared suffering!" He glanced at the Master, met his eye with his own cool gaze, unwilling to let the Doctor see his true thoughts, not just yet. See that he was disappointed he didn't have his peers to destroy or conquer, but far too glad to have the Universe at the mercy of the two of them. The Master like chaos, and he loved watching things fall apart as the Doctor scrambled to put them back together.

"We're the last ones." Was all the Master would say as the Doctor retreated into a corner. "We're all there is. They're gone."

"Gone forever." The Doctor added, face beginning to age with weariness and regret.

"What happened?" Jenny asked, stepping closer.

"There was a war." The Doctor replied.

"Like this one?"

The Doctor chuckled humorlessly as memories began to haunt him, and he looked very much like the nine hundred year old Time Lord that he was. "Bigger. Much bigger."

"And you fought?"

"Yes." The Master replied, growing irritated.

"And killed?" She pressed.

"Yes." The Doctor's voice was a barely audible whisper.

"Then how are we different?" Jenny asked, using the last of the Master's waning patience.

"The Hath obviously do not kill everyone, or Miss Martha Jones would not have been alive to answer her phone. He fought those who would kill everything in the entire Universe, and he fought to keep them from doing so. He fought to save the Universe while you fight to win the Source. That is the difference, Jenny, and it is a very big one. If you are too stupid to figure it out, then you're a poorer imitation of a Time Lord than I thought." The Master snapped, as the Doctor stared at him wordlessly from the corner, face showing no other emotions than pain, loss, and regret.

"You said he fought for those things," Jenny finally commented, narrowing her eyes as she glared back at him. "What were you doing?"

"Fighting for the wrong reasons. If anything, dear Jenny, you're like me. That's not something to be proud of." The Master leaned back before he closed his eyes, and for a second he thought he could hear the old drums again.

"Then I'll fight for what's right." Jenny decided, turning to talk earnestly to the Doctor. "Let's get the Source before Cobb or the Hath do, and stop them from hurting each other. We can't make peace from in here."

"How do we get past Cline?" Donna asked. Jenny grinned.

"Get in that corner." She said before she sauntered up to the bars and grinned saucily at the soldier.

"Hey," she said, wrapping her hands innocently around the bars.

"I'm not supposed to talk to you," Cline replied, voice slightly apologetic. "I'm on duty."

"Yeah, I know. Guarding me." Jenny said before she stepped closer. "So, does that mean I'm dangerous, or that I need protecting?"

"Protecting from what?" Cline asked with a laugh.

"Oh, I don't know. Men like you?" Jenny winked at him before she kissed him through the bars, slipping his gun from it's holster before he could react.

"Keep quiet and open the door?" She asked, keeping the gun leveled at him as he obeyed slowly.

"I'd like to see you do that." Donna teased, watching Jenny with amusement.

"So would I." The Master agreed as the Doctor managed to look affronted.

"How are we going to keep him quiet?" Donna asked as soon as Jenny took his weapons and moved him inside the cell.

"With this." The Master replied, removing Cline's belt and wrapping it around his mouth.

"And how are we going to keep him from moving?"

The Master reached into his pocket and drew out some rope before he began to hogtie the soldier. "With this."

"You had that at the ready?" Donna asked in disbelief. "Tying things up comes a bit too naturally to you."

"I am the Master, Donna. You will obey me." The Master glanced up and leered. "Want to see tonight?"

"What did I say about that? No means no, Spaceman." Donna replied before she marched out the door.

"We won't run into anyone if we go this way." Jenny said, pointing left down the hallway.

"Right. Off we go then. But," The Doctor turned to look at the blond girl. "Only do what I say, okay?"

"Fine." Jenny replied as the Doctor strode off, the Master and Donna beside him. She glanced back into the cell.

"Really sorry, about that Cline." She said, giving him a small smile as she closed the cell door. "If it makes you feel any better, you're a very good kisser."

**

"Are you sure you know where we are going?" The Master asked as they walked along the tunnels."

"Course I do. I have the map, don't I?" The Doctor replied, waving the map he had stolen from the guard Jenny knocked unconscious on the stairs.

"Can you read the map? I can navigate."

"I'm doing just fine, thanks." The Doctor snapped, putting on his glasses and studying the map again. "There's a control panel right over here."

"Great. Hand me your sonic." The Master replied, holding out his hand expectantly.

"I can do it!" The Doctor protested.

"I'm the better lock pick. Always have." The Master said, arching an eyebrow. "Or have you forgotten how we got away from seventy-seventh floor when a particularly vicious female was trying to use us for her experiments?"

Donna looked at one of the arches in the tunnel while the Doctor handed the Master his screwdriver. "Look, there's more of these numbers."

"The builders must have left them, Donna. At least six species communicate through numerical digits in the universe." The Master replied, as he scanned the wall.

"Do you have a pen and a bit of paper?" Donna asked, and the Doctor dug through various pockets until he found some to hand to her. "They're counting down. This number is smaller than the one in the cell and the one in the theater."

"Always thinking, all of you." Jenny suddenly said, watching them with fascination. "Who are you people?"

"I told you, I'm the Doctor. He's the Master." The Doctor replied, helping the Master pry wooden boards from the cover of the console.

"That's it?"

"That's all they ever say." Donna chimed, smiling slightly.

"So you don't have names either. Are you an anomaly too?"

"No." The Doctor said, putting a hand on the Master's shoulder to keep him quiet. The Master glanced at him, silently informing him of the treats the Doctor needed to give him when they got back. He hadn't even murdered Jenny a little bit.

"Oh come off it." Donna scoffed. "You two are the most anomalous people I've ever met."

"Here it is!" The Doctor exclaimed, finally revealing the controls.

"And what about Time Lords?" Jenny asked. "What are they for, exactly?"

The Doctor stared at Jenny. "For? They're not for anything."

"Might as well ask what humans are for. Besides being a nuisance, of course." The Master added, glaring at Donna when she gave him a slap on the back of his head.

"Then what do you do?"

"We travel. Through time and space."

"He saves planets." Donna interrupted. "Rescues civilizations, defeats terrible creatures-"

"Including the Time Lord and human variety." The Master added innocently.

"And runs a lot." Donna finished before shaking her head. "Seriously, there is an outrageous amount of running involved."

"Speaking of which…" The Doctor muttered as the panel slid open and the Master handed the Doctor back his sonic. A door opened down the tunnel as gunshots and Cobb's voice echoed down to him. The Doctor grinned at the Master before they set off down the tunnel, Jenny following them excitedly. They stopped short as they came to a laser grid, red beams crisscrossing every which way.

"Why would someone do that?" The Master groaned. "Just have one solid patch of laser and be done with it. Now we know this place was designed by humans."

"That's not mood lighting, is it?" Donna asked as the Doctor pulled a wind up mouse from his pocket and tossed it onto one of the lasers. It sparked and the smell of plastic burning filled the room. "Didn't think so."

"Now would be a really good time to use a laser to shoot out the beams, wouldn't it. If only you hadn't left my screwdriver lying in Rattigan's little lab." The Master remarked, looking pointedly at the Doctor.

"Thought you removed deadly settings." The Doctor replied, bending over several switches to find the one he was looking for.

Donna looked at the wall where another metal plaque was engraved with numbers. "Here's another one. Always eight numbers, always counting down."

"Found it!" The Doctor announced from the floor as Cobb found the secret tunnel, his shouts reaching their ears.

"You better be quick. Trigger Happy is almost here." Donna replied, scribbling down the last of the digits.

"I'll stop him." Jenny said, walking back with determined steps, but the Doctor caught her arm.

"Where are you going?" He demanded.

"I can hold them up."

The Doctor glared. "No! We don't need anymore dead."

"But it's them or us." Jenny explained, reciting one of the emphasized codes put into her mind.

"It doesn't mean you have to kill them." The Doctor's fingers tightened on her arms.

"I'm trying to save your life!"

"Listen to me," The Doctor said, grabbing her shoulders. "The killing, all of it, after a while it affects you. And once it does, you're never rid of it."

"Not necessarily a bad thing." The Master muttered as he reset the controls.

"But we don't have a choice." Jenny insisted.

"We always have a choice."

"I'm sorry." Jenny replied, shaking her head before she hurried around the corner. Donna winced as Cobb's men arrived and bullets began to ricochet at the end of the tunnel, some of them Jenny's.

"I told you." The Doctor hissed. "Nothing but a soldier."

"We sure she's your clone?" The Master asked as he turned off the lasers. "No, has to be. Mine would be clever."

"Jenny! Come on!" The Doctor yelled to her as the Master stood up and they began to move.

"I'm coming!" Jenny's voice replied as the bullets stopped.

"You're a child of the Machine." Cobb's voice suddenly said, echoing down to them. The Doctor stopped and turned, listening intently. "You're on of us. Join us in the war against the Hath. it's in your blood girl, don't deny it!"

There was a pause, one that seemed to stretch on forever as the Doctor listened. The Master silently wished for bullets and sounds of death, knowing that whatever Jenny did now would define her. This was when the Doctor accepted her, or wrote her off completely. Instead she came running around the corner, reaching the corridor just as the laser beams switched back on.

"No! No, no, no, no! The circuits switched back." The Doctor frantically looked around, trying to find a way to turn them off. "The controls are on the other side. Jenny, I… I can't do anything."

"I'll have to manage on my own, then." Jenny threw down her gun before she backed up and winked at them. "Watch and learn, father."

She ran forward and sprung herself over the first laser, flipping over each red beam without stopping. The Doctor and Donna stared in open mouthed surprise, and even the Master raised an eyebrow.

"Well. At least she got your flexibility." The Master murmured as she landed in front of the Doctor, smiling anxiously.

"That's impossible!" Donna exclaimed.

"Not impossible," The Doctor said with a grin. "Just a bit unlikely!"

"Really?" Jenny asked hopefully.

The Doctor hugged her, lifting her off the ground as her arms wrapped around his shoulders. "You were brilliant!" Donna watched them happily while the Master quickly turned to walk down the hall, repressing the urge to push the girl back into the lasers once the Doctor put her down. He was trying to behave until he found a way around these new drums, but putting up with people was become very difficult.

"I didn't kill him!" Jenny said once the Doctor put her down. "I could have killed him, but I didn't. You were right, I had a choice."

The man in question burst through the end of the tunnel with his men, and the Doctor quickly sent Jenny and Donna the way of the Master.

"I warned you, Cobb." The Doctor called, backing away slowly. "If the Source is a weapon, I'm going to make sure you never use it."

"One of us is going to die today, Doctor, and it won't be me!" Cobb replied before he tried to shoot the Doctor as he dodged the bullets and ran down the hallway, leaving the army to deal with the lasers. The Doctor quickly caught up with them, pulling out his map once they reached a fork in the corridor before he pointed them to the right. The Master grabbed the map out of his hands and looked at it, before he nodded and handed it back to the Doctor before they continued, Jenny and Donna following close behind.

"So," Jenny began, pointing back and forth between the Doctor and Donna. "You travel together, but you're not… together."

"What?" Donna asked, shaking her head once she realized what Jenny was asking. "Oh, no. No. _No_. They're together, the Doctor and the Master. Besides, we're a different species. There's probably laws against it. Course, there's probably laws against everything they do."

"And how is the traveling?" Jenny asked, giggling at the look the Doctor gave Donna.

"Never a dull moment." Donna replied. "It can be terrifying, brilliant, and funny. Sometimes all at the same time."

"Don't forget to mention sexy." The Master called back.

"I've seen some amazing things, though." Donna continued, ignoring the Master. "Whole new worlds."

Jenny wistfully closed her eyes for a moment. "I'd love to see new worlds."

"You will!" Donna assured her before she looked at the men in front of her. "Won't she, Doctor?"

"Hmm?" The Doctor asked, pulling his mind out of the plan he was trying to form in his head.

"Do you think Jenny will see any new worlds?"

"Oh. I suppose so." The Doctor replied, corners of his mouth turning slightly up.

"You mean you'll take me with you?" Jenny gasped in delight.

"Can't leave you here." The Doctor said, grinning as Jenny bounced up and down before she hugged him gratefully.

"I'm pretty sure we can, actually." The Master suddenly said, causing everyone to stare at him in confusion.

"If he says I can, then I can." Jenny replied after a moment's pause before she headed down the tunnel. "Come on, let's go."

"I'll go with her." Donna said quickly as the two men's eyes met, tension beginning to grow. "Make sure she doesn't flip through more lasers."

"She is not going to stay with us." The Master said once Donna rounded the corner.

"She doesn't belong here. What else are we going to do?" The Doctor replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Drop her off at Cardiff. The Freak always likes a pretty face. He might not even touch her, knowing she's your daughter. Or will that make him want her more?"

"Stop it!" The Doctor snapped. "Why don't you want her with us?"

"Why do you? Five minutes ago you were all for leaving her here. Then she does some back flips and suddenly she's your best friend. What do I get if I do some cartwheels?"

"She's a Time Lady. She needs to be around us, so she doesn't have to learn everything on her own. Do you really think you'd know how to spur your respiratory bypass system or regenerate if you were never taught how?" The Doctor replied, reaching out to him. "You don't have to help, just ignore her if you don't like her that much."

"Do you really want another child, Doctor?" The Master hissed, shoving the Doctor away. "Your last batch didn't work out so well. Out of all of them and your grandchildren only one could even stand to be around you for extended periods of time."

"Shut up!" The Doctor shouted, anger flaring up in his eyes. "Don't you ever talk about them to me ever again. _Ever_." The Doctor angrily stormed after the women, leaving the Master behind. The Master punched the wall, welcoming the pain the shot up his arm after his hand connected with the metal. If he wasn't so sure Cobb would shoot him on sight, he'd wait for the army and help them. The drums were eerily quiet, somehow knowing now was not the time to pressure him. He continued down the path only when he heard them get past the lasers, and refused to apologize to the Doctor when he rejoined them. If the Doctor choose Jenny over him, then nothing in the universe would be safe.

"This is a dead end!" Jenny shouted as they come to the end of the tunnel, stumbling to a halt. "We're trapped."

"Can't be. This must be where the Temple is." The Doctor turned, seeing red metal cut into sections behind him. "This must be the door." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the Master's laser screwdriver.

"You had that all along? I thought you left it in the Academy." The Master glared as he spoke.

"Didn't need you to know that, did I?" The Doctor replied coldly as he used it on the door.

"Look, more numbers." Donna said, staring up at yet another metal plate. "We're down to 12 now. But… this can't be a cataloguing system, or a language. It's all too similar."

"Will you just shut up about the damn numbers, Donna?" The Master snapped. "We're being shot at and being chased by two armies, both of whom want to kill us. Not the best time to play translator."

Donna eyed him before she shook her head. "I swear to God. Do we need to pick up a couple's councilor? You two get touchy every single time we go out."

"They're coming!" Jenny announced, cutting off the Master's reply. The Doctor slid open the door just as Cobb's men arrived, shutting and locking it shut before they could get any closer. They turned and looked around them, finding the Temple to be a bit more red and spacious then the tunnels, but mostly the same.

"This doesn't look like a temple." Donna said, looking up at the machinery around them. "It looks more like an engine room or something."

"Fusion drive transport. It's a spaceship." The Doctor replied, bending over the railing in front of them to get a better look.

Donna's mouth dropped open. "The original one?"

"How much fuel do you think it had, Donna?" The Master asked, nudging open a panel with his foot. "It would have run down by now while the war went on."

"So how is it still powered up?" Jenny asked. "Could it be the Source?"

"I don't know. But let's find out!" The Doctor replied as they started off again, climbing up staircases and hallways. The Doctor paused when he saw sparks through one of the doors, unmistakably someone using a blowtorch to cut through.

"It's the Hath." Jenny announced as soon as she saw it. "They're going to get inside and if Cobb gets through then war's going to break out in here."

The Doctor turned to see a console screen and quickly bent over it, putting on his glasses to study it closely. "It's the ships log, from the human and Hath settlers to Messaline."

"So it is the original ship." Jenny said. "But what happened?"

"They came in the spaceship and used robot drones to build the city." The Doctor scrolled down through the logs until his eyebrows rose. "This is the final entry. It says the mission commander died and the humans and Hath couldn't agree on who would take the leadership. They split into factions because of the power vacuum, and they had a never ending supply of armies because of the Progenation machines. That must have been how the war started!"

Donna ignored them as she saw eight numbers displaced on a digital sign before realization dawned on her as she looked down at her pad of paper. "Oh my God!"

"What?" The Doctor's head snapped up. "It's just more numbers."

"Yeah, but it's in the same pattern." Donna turned around and gestured at the display. "Look at it! That's not cataloguing, it's the date! Whenever they finished building the section, they slapped the date on it. You know, like how some buildings have that one stone at the base with the year?"

"Thank you, Donna." The Master sniffed. "I really needed to know that really interesting factoid. It helps our case ever so much!"

"You don't get it!" Donna snapped. "The first sign said 6012,07,17. The date today is 6012, 07, 24."

The Master and the Doctor stared at her in shock, mouths hanging open.

"What does it mean?" Jenny asked, not catching on.

"The theater was finished seven days ago, Jenny." Donna said. "Seven days. This war started seven days ago."

"What do you mean seven days? It can be, Cobb said the war has gone on for years!"

"No." Donna shook her head. "They said generations. And if they're all like you, then they came out of the machine too."

"If generations are killed each day and new ones are bred, then at least twenty generations are killed and created each day and the knowledge is passed through the machine!" The Doctor exclaimed. "Donna, you're a genius! They mythologized their entire history!"

"But the building and encampments are in ruins!" Jenny protested.

"No," The Master said slowly. "They're never been lived in. The war started before anyone could actually move in."

"Then what is the Source?" She asked helplessly.

"Let's find out." The Doctor replied before he ran down the corridor, leaving the rest to follow. The Doctor rounded a corner before he skidded to a halt, staring in disbelief as Martha stumbled into the hallway through another door.

"Martha!" He exclaimed. "You're okay!"

"You're filthy, what happened?" Donna said as she gave her a huge hug, wiping some drying mud off of her clothing.

"I took the surface route." Martha replied with a grin before she looked down at the floor. "One of the Hath helped me. He… didn't make it."

"I'm sorry." Jenny said quietly, patting her on the arm. Martha blinked at her before she smiled softly.

"Yeah, thanks." She replied just as Cobb broke in below them, bullets and shouts echoing up to them.

"We're running out of time!' The Doctor hissed in frustration. "We need to find the source."

"We don't even know what we're looking for." Donna protested.

The Master's brow furrowed, as he caught the scent in the air. "Can anyone else

smell _Borgon villia_?"

"Borgon what?" Donna asked. "All I smell is flowers."

"That's the species. I say we sniff our way there." The Doctor said as he bounded off.

Jenny grinned before she followed him up the stairs. "That's my father! Half Time Lord, half bloodhound."

"It's a garden!" Donna gasped when they reached the top.

"Oh, this is brilliant." The Doctor said with a grin, tossing his coat onto a railing before he bent over to examine a small glass sphere in the middle of a pedestal in the center of the garden. Three metal rods ran around it, and sparkling yellow gasses could be seen swirling within.

"Is that the Source?" Jenny asked eagerly. "It's beautiful."

"It's a third generation terreforming device." The Master said as he eyed the controls. "They release it on a barren planet to make it habitable. It makes the atmosphere suitable for human life. I suppose it is the Breath of Life, in a way. In a very artificial, man made way."

"It's in stasis right now. Producing all of this vegetation must keep it stable" The Doctor added as the Hath and Cobb's army burst in from separate sides with their guns drawn, leaving the five of them caught in the middle.

"Stop!" Yelled the Doctor, throwing his arms out to both sides. "Don't shoot. You said you wanted this war over, and I can do that."

"I want this war won!" Cobb snapped from the front line, keeping his weapon up.

"You can't win!" The Doctor replied, turning to the glass sphere beside him. "This is the Source. It's not a weapon, and it won't help you win anything. It's from a laboratory, not some mystical maker. It's just a ball of gases. Very useful gases, mind, but it needs to be released. It created all this life around you. Look at the trees and the plants! If we release it, it will bring life. You can stop fighting and killing!"

"But who gets the Source?" Cobb yelled. "Pretty speeches won't end this war."

The Doctor glared at him before he lifted the Source off the pedestal. "I'm the Doctor, and I declare this war over!"

He threw the Source onto the ground, breaking the glass. The gases glowed yellow and green as they rose up, slowly and lightly dancing in the air. The Hath and Cobb's army began to lay down their weapons, leaving only the General with a gun in his hand.

"What's happening?" Jenny asked, unaware that Cobb was staring at the Doctor with utter hatred.

"It's beginning the terreforming process." The Doctor explained with a grin before

shooting a look at the Master. "It's the new beginning for a lot of things."

The Master scowled and looked away just in time to see Cobb raise his pistol, aiming at the Doctor. At that angle, it would rip through both of his hearts. The Master dove forward, the drums in his head pounding in alarm, bound and determined that the Doctor wouldn't loose his current pretty face yet.

"No!" Jenny screamed just as the Master knocked the three of them over as the bullet went off. Cline and the men around him quickly suppressed Cobb as the Doctor picked himself up.

"Are you okay?" Jenny asked, turning herself over.

"Fine." The Doctor replied, looking at the Master. "But I didn't think you'd bother to save me. Why didn't you just…"

The Doctor became aware of the blood pooling around the Master's body.

"No!" He yelled, at his side in an instant. He rolled him over to see blood pouring from his head. Martha was crouched over beside him, trying to wipe away the blood. "Doctor, he still has a pulse. It went in his head, but if we can get him to a medical area…"

"We don't have any." Cline said. "We never needed them. If you were shot, you died. That's just how it was."

"What about the TARDIS?" Donna asked. "With everything you get into you must

have something on in there."

"Isn't it blocked off from the human side because of the cave in?" Martha shook her head. "And it'll take to long if we bring him around the Hath way, and there's no way we can bring him over the service."

The Master stirred, hands weakly reaching for his face. "Rassilion that hurts."

"Master," The Doctor bent down. "Master, you have to regenerate."

The Master was silent for a moment, his face growing paler. "I can't."

"This is no time for that!" The Doctor yelled, fingers tightening on the Master's body.

"I'm trying, Doctor." The Master whispered, voice growing weaker. "It's not there. I can't regenerate. I…"

"What do you mean it's not there?" The Doctor asked before Jenny reached into his coat. "What are you doing?"

"Getting this." She replied, pulling out the Master's laser screwdriver before she turned to the men. "Cline, get your three strongest men to pick up the Master and follow me back. Martha, stay next to him and stop the bleeding. I'll get through that blockade."

"What?" The Doctor asked as the men picked up the Doctor. Jenny ripped the bottom of her shirt and handed it to Martha, who used half of it to wipe off the blood.

"Deal with Cobb." She replied as Martha found the entrance wound where the bullet ripped through the Master's eye. Jenny turned and began to run, and the men followed her as fast as they could.

"Cobb…" The Doctor trailed off and turned to look at the general, pinned to the floor by his own men. He saw the gun on the floor and grabbed it, holding it to the man's head. Donna stared in shock as he aimed the pistol at him while the humans and Hath watched on, waiting for the gunshot. Finally the Doctor yanked it away and clicked on the safety before he crouched down next to Cobb.

"I never would, do you got that? I. Never. Would." The Doctor stood up and addressed the humans and the Hath gathered around them, dropping the gun to the floor. "When you start this new world of Human and Hath, remember that. Make the foundation of this society a man who never would."

The Doctor stared Cobb for a moment more before he turned to follow Jenny and the men, running to catch up to them. Donna watched him go before she turned to Cline.

"I think you'd make a good representative for the humans." She said with a small smile. "Just make sure you do it for equality and peace, not to give us humans the leg up, okay?"

"What do we do with him, though?" Cline asked, gesturing at Cobb, who only stared at the ground.

"I think he counted on someone killing him." Donna said softly. "Put him on trial. If you decide he's guilty, put him in a cell or have him work in the city. But no more deaths. Not now."

"Do you think your friend will be alright?" he asked, and Donna cast a worried glance towards the exit.

"God, I hope so."

**

By the time Martha emerged from the medical bay Donna had already made everyone a large pot of tea.

"How's he doing?" Donna asked, handing her a cup and sitting her down at the table in the kitchen.

"The Doctor or the Master?"

"Both."

"The Master is the luckiest bastard I have ever met. The bullet went in at an

impossible angle. It hit his eye and went out through the bone. It never even skimmed his brain. The Doctor is setting the bones in his skull right now and he thinks he'll be up in a day if he can find the right technology." Martha smirked slightly. "The TARDIS seems to think that she doesn't need to help him as long as he's not dieing."

"And the Doctor?" Jenny asked anxiously.

Martha sighed and looked into her tea. "Still worried. Not as worried now that we know he won't die, of course. Both of their faces are showing their real ages right now."

"Why, what are their real ages?"

"He told me over nine hundred." Martha replied with a shrug. "But he wouldn't give much more information.

"Nine hundred?" Jenny repeated, eyes wide. "My life span is over nine hundred years?"

"Time Ladies get all the perks." Donna huffed as she refilled their cups. "So do you think the TARDIS will help the Master heal?"

"Well," Martha leaned back in her chair, thinking. "From what the Doctor was saying, I think the TARDIS is taking the phrase 'Eye for an eye' literally."

--

"What do you mean blind?" The Master demanded, as the Doctor put down the bone replicater he found to fix the side of the Master's head.

"I mean she let me heal your skull, but not your eye." The Doctor explained apologetically. "On the plus side, she now considers you even. No more searching for the bathroom or electric shocks."

The Master groaned. "I can't believe I'm blind in one eye just to save your miserable little life. Your vindictive excuse for a ship knows that, right?"

"Why did you do that, anyway?" The Doctor asked, leaning back. They had the Master laid down on one of the padded tables with a pillow under his head, his jacket and shirt thrown away. They could have washed the blood off in the TARDIS's laundry room, but he had so many other identical shirts and jackets there really wasn't a point.

"I didn't want to risk you regenerating into someone ugly. I didn't want to have sex with that every day." The Master replied as he fingered the bandages wrapped around his eye.

"Every day? Someone has rather high expectations."

"I saved your life, and the cheerleader's. I deserve sex every hour. But not with her, she seems like one of those annoying breathy moaners."

"I love how you've already thought about that." The Doctor said sarcastically, rolling his eyes before he turned serious. "Is having Jenny around really going to be a problem?"

"I don't have much choice, do I? You and Donna are already attached." The Master sighed. "So I'll do my best. But she does not get any special treatment."

"You won't leave then."

The Master turned his head so his good eye could study the Doctor. "Why?"

"I wouldn't want you to go yet." The Doctor smiled weakly.

"It won't stay like this, you know." The Master said, closing his eyes. "One of us is going to leave. You'll get mad at something I'll say and stomp away, or I'll get bored and kill someone and we'll be back where we started."

"That doesn't have to happen."

"No, I suppose one or both of us could die first." The Master continued when he saw the Doctor's hurt face. "Every single Time Lord in existence might be on board this TARDIS, Doctor, but that doesn't change us."

"I changed. You obviously did, one of your plans actually worked." The Doctor shook his head. "The only reason I stopped you on the _Valiant_ was because of Martha. Not everyone could have done that."

"I'm not going to reform, Doctor." The Master replied evenly.

"Is not killing something the same as reforming?"

The Master raised an eyebrow. "Does that mean if I take over a planet without fatalities I get to keep it?"

"No, I suppose not." The Doctor replied, folding his arms against the table and resting his chin on them as he stared at the Master.

"I'll make a deal, then. If you keep Jenny then I get to be as kinky as I want." The Master offered.

"You're really trading favors for sex?" The Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow of his own.

"As I see it, Jenny's going to stay around whether I like it or not. And if I don't play nice, then you'll be too irritated to put up with me at all. I'm just manipulating the situation so you can't say no to a pair or two of strategically placed handcuffs."

"Aren't you the clever one?" The Doctor teased. "So basically you're trying to get something you'll probably get anyway in exchange for something I'd get anyway."

"Well, if you put it on that footing," The Master scratched his bare stomach. "I suppose I could just withdraw my offer and spend all my time trying to get away so I can take over the universe before coming after you."

"No, no. This is good." The Doctor nodded his head. "Deal."

"Goody." The Master ran a finger along the side of the Doctor's chin and smirked. "Speaking of which, I seem to be half naked already and there is a lock on that door."

"You're in no condition to get up." The Doctor replied. "I know your skull has healed and you've replenished your blood, but you still should stay lying down."

"You can bottom from the top." The Master argued. "You're more than limber enough."

"Well…" The Doctor pulled his sonic out of his pocket and locked the door. "I suppose you did save my life."

"That I did." The Master replied, grinning. "So we can have fun?"

"Yeah." The Doctor leaned down so his lips brushed against the Master's. "I think we've earned it."`

**Next Time: The Unicorn and the Wasp**


	8. The Unicorn and the Wasp

**A/N: It has been a looong time since the last update. My Beta is out of town, but I felt that people had waited long enough, so here it is, un-beta'd. This means all mistakes are mine. However, I would like to invite people to point out any problems they may see, or any other critiques they might have. This is a standing invitation to all chapters, because feedback, especially from multiple sources is a good thing. Also, *crosses fingers* opening night for our show is tonight! Our director got interviewed by CBC radio and BBC television the other day, so it's been a good week!**

**EDIT: I just remembered that The Darkness Is Coming is now one year old! Watch my profile, a birthday fic will pop up soon!**

**Review Responses:**

**evil-sami-poo: The Master doesn't play well with other children. Unless it's the Doctor, but they're playing their own game...**

**Nibbet Jones: I always felt bad about the Master's eye. But in the original script he was killed so I think he came out ahead. Thanks!**

**Bad Werewolf: Thanks! From now on, I'll put ~*~ around the more graphic scenes, so it'll be easier to skim over. **

**Linné: Thanks! I love the Unicorn and the Wasp as well. I've actually been working on Anything Goes this summer, so I used "costume research" as an excuse to rewatch UatW and my** **Jeeves and Wooster!**

**Deaths-Master: Hee, yes they are hot indeed. Thanks!**

**flyfloyd: Aww, thanks! But trust me, if the original script called for this onscreen... there'd be no way I'd steal it! **

**Socks: If you like traveling stories, go to Livejournal and check out Sarky Woman's stories. She has one from a couple of years ago that crosses over with Andromeda, and it's just perfect!**

-----

Jenny realized, quite belatedly on her way to her new room, that the TARDIS was bigger on the inside. She said that out loud, and the TARDIS chuckled.

"You're alive?" she asked the hallway, and the TARDIS nodded around her. She gasped, not used the to the feeling of something moving in her mind.

The Doctor's voice spoke from behind her. "Are you all right?"

"The TARDIS is alive!" Jenny blurted.

"Yeah, she is. Good old friend," the Doctor smiled, patting one of her coral pillars. "You could say she's my most loyal companion."

"But…" Jenny trailed off. "Is this what the Master meant by feeling minds?"

"Part of being a Time Lord," the Doctor replied before he held out his hand. "Come on. I'm going to give you a crash course. Donna's looking after the Master. She's keeping him in bed."

"He's trying to get up?" Jenny asked. "It's only been two days."

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "His bones have healed- you'll find we heal quickly, especially with help- and his blood is at safe levels, but he hasn't slept at all. He is not moving until then."

"Donna and her wonderful bedside manner is helping the Master in his sleep deprived recovery." Jenny grinned. "We might want to hurry or they'll kill each other."

"Ah." The Doctor scratched his chin. "That is a very real possibility. Let's get started then, shall we?"

Jenny was a quick learner thanks to not only her Time Lord biology, but the extra boost to the brain that everyone created on Messaline was given by the Progenation machines. Still, even as the Doctor sat her down and explained everything to her (It was very interesting. There were books, physical demonstrations, and even a puppet show), Jenny knew he was feeling off. There were lines under his eyes that were not there when she first saw him. She wanted to think that it was because of the Master's injury, but she didn't really believe it. Every so often she'd learn something and look up at him in triumph, but he wasn't watching her. He was looking past her at something else. She didn't mind, really, she didn't. Really.

After three days of intense study the Doctor deemed Jenny proficient enough to leave the TARDIS. "You just needed to know the basics," he explained. "Everything else I can teach you over time."

"It's so amazing, though!" she replied. "I can talk to the TARDIS if I want. I've never been able to talk to a machine before."

"Sentient being," he corrected, chuckling as they came to the sick bay to meet with Donna and the Master. The Doctor opened the door before he stopped and raised an eyebrow. Donna was sitting beside the Master's bed with a magazine and the Master was sulkily reading a book in dark lenses, stretched as far away from the bedpost he was handcuffed to as possible.

"Donna..?" the Doctor asked slowly.

"Hmm?"

"Why is the Master handcuffed to the bed?"

The Master rolled his eyes. "She's decided to become a dominatrix."

"He tried to get up," Donna replied with a shrug. "I was keeping him in his bed.

"They'd been gone for three days, and I was curious. But she wouldn't listen to reason. She's drunk with power!"

Donna raised an eyebrow. "I said I wasn't going to let you up until the Doctor got back. You didn't listen."

"Where did you even get handcuffs?" the Doctor asked curiously.

"I found them in the back of one of the kitchen cabinets," she paused before scowling at them. "You two didn't have sex in the kitchen, did you?"

"What?" the Doctor asked, surprised.

"No. Not yet, anyway," the Master added

"Not ever." Donna growled. "Or I will stick something very unpleasant up your backsides."

The Master rolled his eye again as the Doctor used his sonic screwdriver to unlock the handcuffs before he checked the other Time Lord's vitals . "Eloquent as always."

"Oi!" Donna snapped as the Doctor carefully removed the bandages from the Master's eye. Donna and Jenny looked away before the Master slid on his sunglasses, allowing the Doctor to be the first one to see the Master's mangled eye. He brushed his fingers over the scarred tissue before the Master waved his hand away and motioned for him to continue his exam.

"You're fine," the Doctor announced, finishing his scan. "Clean bill of health."

"Goody for me," the Master replied sarcastically.

"Does that mean we get to travel?" Jenny asked eagerly as the Master left the room, presumably to get clean clothes.

"We did promise that, didn't we?" Donna replied, folding up her magazine. "Just as well. I don't think I could stand one more day inside."

"It must have been fun, though. You could explore the TARDIS for years!" Jenny said, thinking back to the sheer size of the TARDIS she could sense.

Donna shook her head. "Most of it was spent between here, my room, and the

kitchen. I've babysat for toddlers better behaved than the Master. I couldn't leave him alone for more than five minutes!"

"What did you talk about, anyway?" the Doctor asked curiously, eyeing the little bits of smashed china in the corners he was sure hadn't been there before. The Master returned, buttoning his collar and meaningfully sliding a brand new laser screwdriver into his pocket.

"Oh, you know. Girl stuff," Donna replied, smirking as the Master turned around to glower at her. He couldn't say anything, of course, or the Doctor would ask what they really talked about. And Donna had a pretty good feeling the Doctor wouldn't be pleased about Donna learning of the family he once had on Gallifrey. She eyed the Doctor as he talked to Jenny and the Master, wondering how he carried on. If anything had ever happened to Granddad and Mum, Donna would fall apart. Her wedding had been bad enough, and no one even died. You would never guess that the Doctor once held children in his arms, or pushed his granddaughter along to be happy before losing them all.

When the Master told her, Donna's mouth had dropped open in shock. "But what about you?" she stammered.

"What about me?" the Master asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You said that you and the Doctor met at school. Where were you when he had this family?"

"He ran away shortly after school ended," the Master replied shortly. "I went out to find him as soon as I was able, chasing leads, which is very hard. A Time Lord has the entire universe in which to hide. When I heard word he was back on Gallifrey, I rushed back only to find that he had moved on. Had a family. None of them were ever as interesting as he was, of course." The Master had looked away then, and Donna didn't press.

"Anywhere you want to go specifically?" the Doctor asked Jenny.

"Somewhere fun?" she grinned. "It's all new to me!"

"I know just the place," the Master announced before he turned on his heel and left for the console room. The Doctor's narrowed and he followed him suspiciously. Donna rolled her eyes as she and Jenny followed them. The Master marched into the console room and bent over the controls, grinning when the TARDIS offered no resistance.

"Seems she was serious about being even," the Master murmured, setting coordinates.

The Doctor frowned as the Master swiveled the screen so he couldn't see it. "Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise," the Master sing-sang, waving a finger at the Doctor. "No looking."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow but helped the Master pilot from the other side of

the console, helping to keep the TARDIS steady.

"This is much smoother with two of you," Donna commented. "No more frantically grabbing something just to stay upright."

"Yes, well," the Master shot a grin at the Doctor. "I actually passed my pilot's test."

"I was trying to stay under the radar," the Doctor grumbled as the TARDIS came to a stop. "I could have aced all the exams if I wanted to."

"So you weren't a star pupil?" Donna asked with a grin and she opened the doors. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Where are we?" Jenny asked as they stepped out of the TARDIS and onto somebody's yard.

"Earth," the Doctor replied, looking around. "And the air smells like grass and lemonade… and a little bit of mint. Just a hint of mint, must be the 1920s."

"You know what year it is just by smelling?" Jenny asked in astonishment.

"Oh yeah," the Doctor replied smugly, grinning at them while the Master rolled his eyes.

"Or," Donna cut in, "Maybe that big vintage car coming up the drive gave it away."

The Doctor sheepishly scratched the back of his neck as the car honked its horn and pulled up to a large stone manor. "That might have had something to do with it, yes."

The Master snickered that as they walked up to the house before they peered around the vines on the side, overhearing the conversation.

"The Lady Edison requests that you make yourselves comfortable in your rooms. Cocktails will be served on the lawn from half-past four," the butler told two of the guests as they met and made their way inside.

"Never mind Planet Zog!" Donna exclaimed. "A party in the 1920s, that's more like it."

"I aim to please, Donna," the Master replied.

"Trouble is, we haven't been invited. Oh, I forgot," the Doctor grinned and pulled the psychic paper out of his coat. "Yes we have!"

"Come on, Jenny. We'll get dressed up. Last time I wore anything the least bit fancy was that fur coat on the Oodsphere," Donna said before she and Jenny ran to the TARDIS's closet.

"Women," The Master commented, shaking his head before he leaned against the TARDIS.

"Why did you choose the 1920s?" the Doctor asked him curiously.

The Master shrugged. "You and Jenny would be happy anywhere, really. Donna obviously is one of the many people from her century who share a fascination with this period, and I am happy wherever there is alcohol. And there will be alcohol."

"You and your vices," the Doctor teased, shaking his head before he dug around in his pocket, pulling out wire framed glasses with round tinted lenses. "Here."

"What's this?" the Master asked, taking the period sunglasses the Doctor offered him. "So I don't look like a freak. How thoughtful."

"That's not why I'm giving them to you and you know it." The Doctor rolled his eyes. "You're wearing tinted lenses right now, they're just from the 21st century. You could go around without them for all I care, but you're far too vain to do that."

"These do not looking flattering on anyone," the Master complained with a sigh, but he put them on anyway.

"We can stop somewhere and get you a fake eye," the Doctor suggested. "We won't find anything fit for Time Lord eyesight, but you won't have to wear dark lenses all the time."

"But I think they make me aloof and mysterious," the Master replied, before raising an eyebrow. "Tell the truth. Don't I look dashing?"

"Oh, very," the Doctor agreed with a grin before turning serious. "It doesn't hurt?"

"You had to remove my eye, Doctor. I think there's going to be a little twinge," the Master replied facetiously.

"So it does?"

The Master was silent for a moment before he shot a pointed look at the Doctor. "Nothing I can't handle. I'm used to constant annoyances."

"Why Master, I'm offended." They stood there in comfortable silence for a while, waiting for Jenny and Donna. After a while the Master glanced at his watch.

"It's four twenty," he remarked.

The Doctor turned and knocked on the door of the TARDIS. "We're going to be late for cocktails!"

"Oh, shut up," Donna snapped as she slipped out of the door. "You never rush a woman!"

"I didn't know you had an eye for historical clothing, Donna," the Doctor said in surprise as he eyed Donna's dark chocolate-colored beaded dress. She had a long fanned necklace around her neck and her hair was put up in a bun.

"We happened to get in the closet on the 1920s floor. Do you have fashions for ever century?" Donna asked, putting her hands on her hips. "Why do you only stick to two suits?"

"Simplicity," the Doctor replied, looking over her shoulder for Jenny. "Are you both coming?"

"It's called a big reveal, Doctor." Donna rolled her eyes before she called through the door. "Ready, Jenny?"

"I'm ready!" came the reply as Jenny stepped out of the TARDIS. Donna had chosen a light green chiffon dress for her, covered with large flower petals. The skirt of the dress had three tiers and ended just above her knee, and two dark green beaded necklaces hung down her neck, tied into a knot at her stomach. Her hair was done in the same style as Donna's to hide their unfashionable long hair.

"What do you think?" Donna asked as she posed with Jenny. "Flapper, or slap her?"

The Doctor grinned at them. "Flapper, you both look lovely."

"You chose the perfect place," Donna told the Master. "Nothing more fun than dressing up, especially on your first trip out."

"I took you to Pompeii!" the Doctor protested. "Don't you remember the purple flow-y thing?"

"I remember fire and running, Doctor." Donna shook her head. "At least the Master knows to pick somewhere that isn't dangerous."

"Truer words never spoken, Donna," the Master replied, holding out his arm. "Miss Noble, will you accompany me to the party?"

Donna grinned and linked her arm through his. "Why Mr. Master, I think I shall."

"Don't say that," the Doctor groaned as he gave Jenny his arm and they headed towards the lawn. "Never call him that."

Donna shook her head at him again and the Doctor looked over to Jenny, who hadn't said a word. "You all right?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just excited, nervous." She grinned up at him, squeezing his arm. "Thank you!"

"This is always the fun part," the Doctor replied as they strolled to the tables before he waved to one of the footmen. "Good afternoon!"

"Drinks, ladies and gentlemen?" one of the men asked as he greeted them, waiting for their orders.

"Sidecar, please," Donna replied.

"I'll have a Red Death," The Master added.

The Doctor raised an eyebrow at the Master before he ordered his own. "Lime and

soda, thank you."

"And you, Miss?" the footman asked Jenny.

"Oh, I don't know," Jenny replied, biting her lip. There had never been an need for drinks on Messaline; it was either water or brown water.

"How about Mint tea?" the Doctor suggested, and Jenny nodded in agreement before the man went to get their drinks.

"Red Death?" He then murmured to the Master, raising an eyebrow.

"Too on the nose?"

"May I announce Lady Clemency Eddison," the butler announced as an older blonde lady in a purple dress walked across the lawn to meet them.

"Lady Eddison!" the Doctor called, holding his arms to shake her hand.

"Forgive me," Lady Eddison replied, glancing at them all in confusion. "But who exactly might you be and what are you doing here?"

"I'm the Doctor," he replied before gesturing to the rest. "And this Harold Masters, my business partner, and my niece, Jenny. And this is Miss Donna Noble, of the Chisick Nobles."

"Good afternoon, my Lady," Donna said, curtsying slightly as she shook her hand. "Topping day, what? Spiffing, tro-"

"No, no, no, no, no, no. Don't do that," the Doctor murmured, continuing when Donna opened her mouth again. "Don't."

"We were thrilled to receive your invitation, my Lady," the Master said to her as the Doctor held up the paper. "We met at the Ambassador's Reception."

"Oh, yes," Lady Eddison replied, smiling at them as she took her drunk from the footman. "Doctor, Mr. Masters, how could I forget you? But one must be sure with the Unicorn on the loose."

"A unicorn?" the Doctor asked, intrigued. "Brilliant, where?"

"The Unicorn, the jewel thief," Lady Eddison explained as one of the footman handed them their drinks. "Nobody knows who he is. He's just struck again, snatched Lady Babington's pearls right from under her nose."

"Funny place to wear pearls," Jenny muttered, causing the Master to chuckle.

"Humans," he replied softly as the Butler announced two more people.

"May I announce the Colonel Hugh Curbishley and the honorable Roger

Curbishley."

A young dark-haired man was pushing a portly older gentlemen's wheelchair as they came to meet everyone for drinks.

"My husband and my son," Lady Eddison introduced fondly as Colonel Hugh

folded up his newspaper.

"Forgive me for not rising," Colonel Hugh said, holding his wife's hand. "Haven't been the same ever since that flu epidemic back in '18."

"My word!" Roger exclaimed, coming up to shake Donna's hand. "You are a super lady."

"Oh! I like the cut of your gin," Donna replied, grinning widely.

"Hello, I'm the Doctor," the Doctor said, shaking his hand. "This is Harold Masters and my niece, Jenny."

"Nice to meet you," Roger replied, shaking their hands before the youngest footman handed him a drink.

"Thank you, Davenport," Roger said, taking the drink while maintaining eye contact with the man. "Just how I like it."

"How come she's an Eddison while her husband is still one of the Curbishleys?" Jenny asked.

"The Eddison title descends through her," the Doctor explained quietly. "One day Roger will be a Lord."

"May I announce Robina Redmond," the butler called.

"Spiffing to meet you at last, my Lady," Robina called, shaking Lady Eddison's hand.

"May I announce the Reverend Arnold Golightly."

"Oh, Reverend!" Lady Eddison greeted him. "How are you? I heard about the church last Thursday night, with those ruffians breaking in!"

"You apprehended them, I hear." Colonel Hugh added.

"As the Christian fathers taught me, we must forgive them their trespasses, quite literally." The plain red-headed man replied, smiling easily at them all.

"Some of these young boys deserve a decent thrashing." Roger said harshly as Davenport took his drink.

"Couldn't agree more, sir." he replied, taking his drink as Roger coughed and turned away, blushing slightly.

"Typical," Donna sighed in disappointment. "All the decent men are on the other bus."

"Or Time Lords," the Doctor replied.

"Or both," the Master snickered.

"Now my Lady," the Reverend said, turning to their hostess. "What about this special guest you promised us?"

"Here she is," Lady Eddison introduced as a blonde woman in a blue dress walked across the lawn towards them. "A lady who needs no introduction!"

The woman blushed as everyone applauded at her approach "No, no, please don't. Thank you, Lady Eddison, but there's absolutely no need."

"Agatha Christie," She said, shaking Donna's hand. The Doctor's mouth dropped open in shock while the Master raised an eyebrow, impressed.

"What about her?" Donna asked, oblivious.

"That's me," Agatha replied, surprised.

"No!" Donna gasped, gaping at the woman. "You're kidding!"

"Agatha Christie!" The Doctor cut in, grinning madly in his excitement. "I was just talking about you the other day! I said 'I bet she's brilliant!'. I'm the Doctor, this is

Donna, Harry, and Jenny."

"I love your stuff, what a mind! You fool me all the time. Well," the Doctor omitted, going off on one of his tirades. "Almost every time. Well, once or twice. Well, once, but it was a _good _once."

"You make a rather unusual couple," Agatha remarked, glancing between Donna and the Doctor."

"Oh, no, no, no," the Doctor replied, waving his hand. "We're not married."

"Well obviously not," Agatha replied, smiling at them, slightly smug. "No wedding ring."

"Oh! You don't miss a trick," the Doctor clucked in approval, glancing at his finger.

"I'd say that way if I were you," Agatha advised, sighing lightly. "The thrill is in the chase, never in the capture."

"Well," the Master murmured consideringly as Lady Eddison pulled her away.

"Mrs. Christie, I'm so glad you could come. I'm one of your greatest followers,

I've read all six of your books. Is Mr. Christie joining us?"

"Is he needed?" Agatha asked quickly. "Can't a woman make her own way in the world?"

Colonel Hugh chuckled while the Doctor and the Master glanced at each other. "Don't give my wife ideas."

"Where is Professor Peach? He'd love to meet Mrs. Christie!"

"He said he was going to the library," the Reverend replied as the Doctor and the Master glanced at the newspaper date before they subtly called Jenny and Donna over.

"Who's Agatha Christie?" Jenny asked the Doctor quietly as Donna came over to them.

"She's one of the most famous mystery writers of all time," the Doctor replied as the housekeeper, Miss Chandrakala went to go find the Professor. "But look at the date on this newspaper."

"What about it?" Donna asked, confused.

"It's the day Agatha Christie disappeared," the Master replied, nodding at Donna's

surprised face.

"But Lady Eddison said she only had six books out," Donna protested as the Doctor rolled up the newspaper. "And Agatha Christie died in the 70s, not in the 20s."

"She had just discovered her husband was having an affair," The Doctor explained.

"She doesn't look it," Jenny replied, surprised.

"Well, she's British and moneyed," the Doctor said. "That's what they do, they carry on."

"Act like nothing's wrong when their world crumbles around them," the Master added.

"Her car will be found tomorrow morning by the side of a lake," the Doctor continued. "Ten days later, Agatha Christie turns up at hotel in Harrogate, saying she'd lost her memory. She never spoke about her disappearance till the day she died. But whatever it was…"

"It's about to happen!" Jenny gasped, eyes widening.

"Right here, right now," the Doctor began before Miss Chandrakala ran screaming out of the manor.

"Professor…library!" she shouted, waving her hands. "Murder! Murder!"

The Doctor and the Master ran into the house, Jenny and Donna trailing close behind. As they rounded the stairs the Master turned to look at the Doctor with his good eye. "I want it noted I was with you the entire time. For once, it's not me."

"And that is a relief," the Doctor replied as they found the library. The Doctor crouched over the body, putting on his glasses as Agatha and the butler joined them in the small room.

"Killed by a blunt instrument," The Master announced, studying the dead man's head and the lead pipe on the floor."

"His watch broke as he fell, making the time of death was quarter past four," the Doctor said before leaping up and checking the papers on the desk. Agatha darted to the fireplace and picked up something from the fireplace, glancing to see if any of them saw her. The Master kept his eyes on the Professor's head, but he and the Doctor shared a quick glance.

"Hold on," Donna said, stepping up to the Doctor. "The body in the library. I mean, really. Professor Peach in the library with the lead pipe? Are we sure Lady Eddison's husband isn't really Colonel Mustard?"

"Let me see!" the man in question trumpeted from the door as he was wheeled in by his son. "Out of my way!"

"Gerald!" Lady Eddison exclaimed, brining her handkerchief to her face.

"Someone should call the police!" Agatha instructed, standing up at their arrival.

"Grieves, why don't you…" Colonel Hugh began, turning to the butler.

"You don't have to," the Doctor interrupted, taking out the psychic paper and holding it up for everyone. "Chief Inspector Smith from Scotland yard, known as the Doctor. Mr. Masters is my partner and Miss Noble and Jenny are the plucky young girls who assist us. Mrs. Christie was right, go into the sitting room and we will interview you in turn."

"Come along, do as the Doctor says," Agatha instructed, leading them out of the library so the Doctor and the Master could continue their search.

"The plucky young girls who help us out!?" Donna exclaimed once they left.

"There's no policewomen in 1926, Donna," the Master explained as the Doctor

got on his stomach and examined the floor. "Women's lib is still on the distant horizon."

"I'll pluck you in a minute. Why don't we find the real police?"

"Oh, the last thing we want is P. C. Plotz sticking his nose into this," the Master replied. "His capacity for incompetence is boundless."

"Especially," the Doctor exclaimed, using a pen to scrape a sticky goo off the floor. "Now that I've found this."

"Morphate residue," he explained, holding the substance up for them to see.

"Morphate? Doesn't sound very 1926 to me," Donna said.

The Master rolled his eyes "It's left behind when certain species genetically re-encode."

"The murder is an alien?" Jenny asked, glancing back towards the door.

"Which means one of that lot is an alien in human form," the Doctor replied.

"Yes, because that is totally new to us. No two alien races ever look alike do they?" the Master asked sarcastically.

"Yeah, but think about it," Donna said with a shake of her head. "There's a murder, a mystery, and Agatha Christie."

"So?" the Doctor asked, sniffing the residue before holding it up to Donna's nose. "Happens to me all the time."

Donna waved him away. "Yeah, but isn't that a bit weird? Agatha Christie didn't walk around surrounded by murders, not really. I mean, that's like meeting Charles Dickens and he's surrounded by ghosts. At _Christmas_!"

"Well…" the Doctor trailed off as he used his finger to taste the substance. The Master growled and knocked his hand away.

"Don't do that!" he protested, grabbing the residue out of the Doctor's hands. "I have to kiss that mouth. I shudder to think at where it's been."

"So if one of those people is an alien, what does their real form look like?" Jenny asked, as the Master held the evidence up to the light.

"If we run some tests on that, we can figure out what species it is," the Doctor replied, scratching his chin.

"I'll do that. I'd be much better at it, anyway," the Master offered as he scraped the remaining residue off the floor.

"Jenny, why don't you go with him?" Donna suddenly suggested. "You can get used to the TARDIS, bop around the controls a bit. It'd be good."

"Probably," Jenny agreed, not seeing the desperate looks the two male Time Lords shot Donna. "I don't know anything about this place, so I probably wouldn't be much help investigating."

"Then it's settled! Have fun!" Donna called as she hurried them out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She was going to make sure that the Master got over whatever issue he had with Jenny, and quickly.

"What do you have against Jenny?" Donna had asked on the second afternoon after she turned off the children's cartoons he had insisted on watching.

"Why must you assume I have something against every person I'm not nice to, Donna?" the Master had asked. "I don't _like _people."

"You like me," Donna pointed out.

The Master snorted. "I think that's stretching it."

"It's because she's the Doctor's daughter, isn't it?" Donna asked, determined not to let the Master distract her.

"She's annoying," the Master retorted, folding his arms stubbornly across his chest.

"So are you and the Doctor!" Donna exclaimed, mirroring his posture. "Really,

you're not the easiest two to get along with, Martians or not."

"Martians?" the Master asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Jenny is trying, Master," Donna insisted. "Give her a chance. She's only what, a week old?"

"Donna, I know what you're thinking," the Master finally said, scratching the bandage over his eye. "You think having Jenny here will magically fix everything because she happens to be genetically related to the Doctor. Babies aren't the magic cure-all, Donna. She is not going to change anything. She's just another one of the Doctor's companions to me, and to him she's no Susan."

"Who?"

The Master waved away her question. "It doesn't matter, Donna. If, for some reason she turns out not to be as irritating as she seems then I might give her a second chance, but I highly doubt it. She _is_ the Doctor's daughter, after all." Donna had frowned, but didn't say anything else.

The Doctor looked at the door anxiously. "You're sure that's a good idea, Donna?"

"It'll be fine," she assured him. "This is just what they need. Sleuthing time is bonding time. Speaking of which, shouldn't we be interviewing some suspects?"

"Yes," the Doctor finally said, deciding against his better judgment to trust Donna's, just this once. "We should."

"Will it be difficult?" Jenny asked the Master as they walked back to the TARDIS.

"Shouldn't be," the Master replied shortly. "Actually, will you do me a favor, will you?"

"Sure! What do you need?" Jenny agreed eagerly.

"Stay out of my way while I do this. It'll be easier to do it alone, since I already know what I need."

"Oh…" she replied softly, trying not to appear too disappointed. "Right. No, of course."

"Thank you," the Master replied, not sounding very grateful at all. He unlocked the TARDIS and walked straight to the back, heading to gather tools. Jenny sighed and sat dejectedly at the console seat for a moment. The TARDIS shifted, trying to comfort her.

"It's okay," Jenny said, leaning over to pat the console. The TARDIS tugged at her mind, urging her to go into the hallway. "You want to show me something?"

The TARDIS seemed to nod, so Jenny stood up and followed it. It was very odd, having the TARDIS speak to her. It wasn't even words, it was more… feelings or emotions. Jenny instinctively understood the TARDIS, especially since she spoke to her in

her mind. The TARDIS urged her down the hallway until she came to a dark purple door.

"In here?" she asked before she opened it and went inside. The TARDIS turned on the lights for her when she entered, revealing a bedroom. It was slightly messy, the bed thrown together and barely made with a few piles of clothes on the floor. The dresser had makeup, other bottles, a few random objects and several photographs. The entire room was covered in a layer of dust. Jenny walked over and looked the pictures over. Some of them where of a man in a black leather jacket and big ears and a young blonde girl about Jenny's age, grinning at the camera. The girl was in most of them, posing with a young dark-skinned man, an older blonde woman, and another young man with dark hair. Most of the photos closer to the top of the pile were the girl with the Doctor and the dark-skinned boy. Jenny glanced at the back of the photos, labeling the subjects as 'Mum, Mickey, and Jack' (Ah! There was a face for the name). She realized suddenly that the man in the leather jacket was the Doctor. He had taught her about regeneration, and now Jenny had a little better grasp on the concept.

A shadow came to the doorway as the Master appeared. "What are you doing in here?"

"Am I not supposed to be?" Jenny asked, turning around quickly as she put the photos down.

"I don't care," the Master replied with a shrug. "Rose isn't the source of my obsession."

"Is that her name?" Jenny asked. "The girl who's room this is?"

"Rose Tyler," the Master confirmed. "She traveled with the Doctor for a while. She's been gone for about, oh, three years on his personal timeline."

"But…" Jenny trailed off. "Why doesn't he talk about her? I've heard all about Martha, Jack, even Sarah Jane."

The Master looked about the room, his face blank with hints of disgust and jealousy. "He was in love with her, you know. As much as you can love a human, anyway."

"Is that why you don't like me?" Jenny blurted out, blushing when the Master's eyes turned sharply to hers. "I mean… because I'm young and blonde and… I didn't mean it like that!"

"Are you asking if I don't like you because I think you'll serve as a Rose proxy?" The Master laughed coldly, without feeling. "The Doctor isn't the purest individual in the Universe, but I don't think incest is quite his cup of tea."

Jenny was quiet for a moment, studying the Master's face. "He won't leave you, you know."

"What?" the Master asked, raising an eyebrow. "Where did that come from?"

"I spent three days with him. Your name came up several times. He didn't mention Rose once. He did keep her room but…" Jenny trailed off, looking around. "The TARDIS has plenty of space. Maybe keeps the rooms of those most important to him."

The Master was silent, thinking of his own room that the Doctor kept.

"What did he say about me?" he finally asked.

"That you are lovers. He didn't know what the Progenation machine programmed as appropriate relationships, so he wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be upset by it. He told me about how you met… and re-met. Him burning your body, you coming back to life. He told me a little about your time at school on Gallifrey. He even told me a few stories," Jenny said before raising an eyebrow and looking amused. "Graduation in midair?"

The Master nodded mutely, thinking. The Doctor spoke freely about their past, even mentioning the funeral pier he had built in some silly little gesture towards Time Lord

tradition. If the Doctor was willing to present them as an established pair to Jenny, was it feasible that the Master had a chance against Rose Tyler's possible return?

"What was the results on the Morphate residue?" Jenny asked after the Master gestured for them to leave the room.

"Inconclusive. Too much contamination," the Master rolled his eye. "Between the Doctor touching it to taste it, the dust left on the floor, and the tiny amount of evidence I couldn't really test anything."

"Well, maybe we'll get lucky," Jenny said, pleased to see that the TARDIS had deposited them right next to the console room. "Maybe Donna and the Doctor found something."

"Our investigation depend on Donna's detective skills," the Master groaned as they left the TARDIS. "We're doomed."

Jenny frowned as a scream and a loud crash cut through the air. "Did you hear that?"

They ran to the lawn, reaching the prone body of Miss Chandrakala pinned beneath

a stone decoration as the Doctor, Donna, and Agatha did.

"Did you see what pushed this gargoyle?" the Doctor asked them as he crouched beside her body.

"The poor little child…" Miss Chandrakala gasped out before her eyes slid shut.

The Master looked up as he heard the unmistakable sounds of buzzing. "No, I didn't see it first hand, but the giant wasp flying off away from the edge has my vote."

"There!" the Doctor shouted as the Wasp flew above their heads before deciding to run. "Come on!"

"This makes a change!" Donna huffed as they ran up the stairs in hot pursuit. "There's a monster, and we're chasing it."

"Everyone's a monster, Donna. This one just happens to be ahead of us," the Master replied over his shoulder.

"Nonsense!" Agatha cut in. "It's just a trick, they do it with mirrors!" The Master rolled his eyes before skidding to a halt as they caught it trying to move around an archway.

"By all that's holy!" she gasped in shock.

"That is one impressive party trick," the Master snipped. "I didn't know reflected images could cut wallpaper like _that_."

"Oh, but you are wonderful!" the Doctor exclaimed, grinning at the creature in admiration. The Wasp dropped down from the archway before it dove at them with its stinger, sending them sprawling to the floor as they tried to avoid being killed.

"Try to kill me will you?" the Master shouted, pulling out his laser screwdriver and firing off a warning shot, sending it buzzing down another hallway as it fled. "Bloody nuisance."

"Don't let it get away," the Doctor yelled, hopping up and darting after it. "We have to find it before it reverts back to human form!"

"It's a dead end!" Jenny gasped as they came down the stairs.

The Doctor grinned, his smile cold and sinister. "Ah, so there's nowhere to run. Show yourself!"

All the doors in the hallway swung open as the guests looked out at them, blinking in confusion.

"Oh," the Doctor said as Davenport's head popped out of Roger's room, causing

the Master to snicker. "That's just cheating."

"What's going on?" the Reverend asked. "What's wrong?"

"The killer has struck again, we were trying to follow them. But they were… in

disguise," Agatha replied, as she caught her breath.

"What? But we're all here." Robina said, gesturing down the hall.

"Lady Eddison, I am very sorry," the Doctor said as everyone came to their end of the hall. "But Miss Chandrakala has been murdered."

"Oh! My faithful companion," Lady Eddison gasped, grasping her husband's chair for support. "Surely not her!"

"We must all meet in the sitting room," Agatha announced as Roger went to comfort his mother. "We'll need to know where you all were, but I think all of you were alone."

"Most of you were, anyway," the Master added as Davenport came out of Roger's room, pulling on his coat.

"Come wheel my chair, Davenport," Colonel Hugh ordered, not seeming very surprised to see the footman in his son's room.

"I assume you both can be accounted for?" Donna muttered to Roger as he passed, who blushed and nodded.

"This is dreadful!" Robina exclaimed as they came into the room and Roger sat his mother down on the couch.

"Miss Chandrakala has been with me since I was a young woman," Lady Eddison sobbed. "She came back with us from India just to be with me!"

"Excuse me, my Lady," Davenport said as he wheeled Colonel Hugh to be by his wife's side. "But she was on her way to tell you something."

"She never found me," Lady Eddison replied. "She had an appointment with Death instead."

"She said 'The poor little child', does that mean anything to anyone?" the Doctor asked, leaning against the arm of an overstuffed chair as Davenport took his place behind the sofa.

"Haven't been any children in this place for years. Highly unlikely there ever will be," the Colonel replied as everyone shot a glance at the subtle couple.

"Mrs. Christie, you must have twigged something," Lady Eddison said after a moment's pause. "You've written simply the best detective stories."

"Tell us, what would Pirout do?" Reverend Golightly asked, leaning forward slightly.

Colonel Hugh wheeled himself forward slightly. "Heaven sakes, cards on the table, woman! You should be helping us."

"But I'm merely a writer," Agatha protested.

"But surely you can crack it," Robina urged, patting her hand comfortingly. "These events, they're exactly like one of your plots."

"That's what I've been saying!" Donna added. "Agatha, that's got to mean something."

"But what?" Agatha asked sharply. "I've no answers! None! I'm sorry, all of you, I'm truly sorry but I've failed. If anyone can help us than it's the Doctor, not me."

The Master pouted as everyone turned to look at the Doctor. "Hello? He's not the only Inspector in the room. He does have a partner, you know."

"Right," the Doctor said once he realized all eyes were on him. "I need everyone to return to their rooms, go about your normal day. I'll go… investigating."

Colonel Hugh and Lady Eddison remained in the room while Robina followed Roger and Davenport. The Reverend left with Grieves, asking him if the manor had a little chapel somewhere on the grounds where he might pray. Agatha ran off, Jenny and Donna close behind.

"The Morphate was inconclusive," the Master whispered to the Doctor as they left.

"The Wasp attacked Donna upstairs, left its stinger in a door. I have a better sample," the Doctor replied, holding up a vial of the amber liquid. "This'll test much better on the TARDIS."

"It attacked Donna?" the Master asked. "Who in their right mind would? She has a hell of a right hook."

"What did you and Jenny talk about?" the Doctor asked, failing to subtly glance at the Master.

"Well, I tried to hypnotize her so we could take over the Earth together and put the murders in perspective…"

"Master!"

"What do you think we did? I ran the tests, she explored the TARDIS. Really, Doctor. Have I ever lead you astray?"

"Would you like me to list the incidents in chronological order, or by the decreasing severity of the consequences?" the Doctor replied, chuckling to himself as they came to the TARDIS and opened the door. "Well, at least we've narrowed it down to four."

"Oh yes, the young master and his servant have alibis now, don't they?" the Master asked, picking up the DNA machine that he had left on the console and handing it to the Doctor so he could look at the sample. "I know who the Wasp is."

"What! How?" the Doctor exclaimed, looking at the Master in shock.

"It's Reverend Golightly, obviously. It's always the quiet ones. Why, I bet if we looked under his church we'd find bodies. The bodies of babies! Petrified remains, each dying of more troubling wounds than the next," the Master explained, eyes lighting up.

"And here I thought you were serious."

"I am. Don't forgot, Doctor, I've been one of the cloth. I know how they think," the Master replied. "Remember the old dog collar?"

"Do you actually know who did it?"

The Master shrugged. "No, not really. All I know is it's not the son and it's not his manservant. Somehow, I don't think Roger would have opened that door with Davenport in that degree of disheveled clothing if he had just managed to turn back."

"Agatha found a burnt piece of paper with the 'maiden' written on it," the Doctor said suddenly.

"The paper from the fireplace?"

The Doctor nodded, then bent over the machine as it gave them the results. "Sylphorax galaxy… it's a Vespiform."

"Really?" the Master asked, leaning over his shoulder. "What's it doing here?"

"Murdering little old ladies and professors, evidently," the Doctor replied, raising

an eyebrow at the hand trailing down his back.

"You're stating the obvious, Doctor," the Master breathed into the Doctor's ear, frowning when he stiffened and stepped away.

"Right! Suppose I am," the Doctor said, handing the rest of the Vespiform sting to the Master. "So, I'll go back, see if the girls have found anything, and you can see if you can find anything else from the sample."

"Fine," the Master replied, rolling his eyes. "Refute my advances. Push aside the blind man."

"Just wait until this is done?" the Doctor asked. "I don't want to be distracted and end up with someone else dead because of it."

"Very well. Go, go. I'll meet you in the Swan Room." the Master said, pushing the Doctor out of the TARDIS. He checked the TARDIS's information to see if he could find any known Vespiforms sent to Earth, but the only recorded one was a diplomat killed in India forty years ago. The Master sighed and pocketed the vial before he walked back to the manor, heading for the sitting room that they were meeting in. It was empty, but there were abandoned glasses on the table. The Master rolled his eyes and picked up the tall glass next to the chair, hoping the clear liquid inside was vodka. Grieves entered the room to clear the drinks, and the Master paused as he brought it up to his lips, smelling bitter almonds.

"Whose drink was this?" he asked the butler, who glanced at it.

"The Doctor's, sir," Grieves replied, raising an eyebrow as the Master ran past him out of the room. He bolted down to the kitchen, arriving to find the Doctor soaking wet with Donna yelling "It's a song!"

"It's a shock, Donna," the Master snapped, noting the sardines and the walnuts lying on the counter next to the Doctor's writhing form.

"Yes! I need a shock!" the Doctor yelled before he doubled over, the cyanide taking effect.

"Doctor! Here's a shock for you!"" the Master yelled, grabbing Donna by the shoulders once he got his attention. He placed his hands on the side of Donna's face and kissed her, stopping when the Doctor stumbled backwards and gray smoke flew out of his open mouth and into the air.

"Detox," he explained with a gasp, wiping his mouth.

"Doctor!" Agatha gasped. "You are impossible!"

The Master turned to look at her, only to have Donna smack him on the cheek, the sound echoing throughout the kitchen. "What was that for!?" he demanded, bring up a hand to his inflamed skin. "I was saving his life!"

"You didn't need _tongue _to do that!" Donna hissed, glaring at him.

The Master looked affronted. "Why Donna, that's like asking Picasso not to use a paintbrush!"

"Anyway," the Doctor cut in before the two of them could get at it. "We need to find a way to flush him out."

"How?" Jenny asked. "The only reason they might do that is if they reacted to something."

"Maybe not something…" the Doctor muttered, seeing the soup boiling on the kitchen stove.

"Finally," the Master said, following his eye line. "I get to poison _somebody_."

"A terrible day, for all of us," the Doctor announced at the table that night as they all sat down to eat. "The Professor struck down, Miss Chandrakala cruelly taken from us, and yet we still take dinner."

"We're British, Doctor," Lady Eddison replied as Jenny picked at her soup, wondering how death seemed to follow her from Messaline. "What else do we do?"

"And then," the Doctor continued. "Someone tried to poison me. Anyone of you had the chance to put cyanide in my drink."

"Yes, and I really would like to have a word with them," the Master said, scanning the table for nervous faces.

"But it rather gave me an idea," the Doctor continued cheerfully.

"And what would that be?" the Reverend asked with an indulgent smile.

"Well, poison," the Doctor said, nodding at the soup as he ate his spoonful. "Drink

up."

The entire dinner party paused with spoons in midair, eyes darting doubtfully between the liquid in front of them and the Doctor.

"I've laced the soup with pepper," the Doctor announced, causing the diners to slump with relief.

"Ah, I thought it was jolly spicy," the Colonel replied cheerfully, swallowing a big spoonful.

"But," the Doctor explained. "The active ingredient in pepper is piperine, traditionally used as an insecticide."

"So," the Master remarked rather gleefully as the guests glanced around. "Anyone got the shivers?"

Suddenly the wind blew a window open as thunder crashed, blowing out the candles in the room.

"Listen!" the Doctor hissed as everyone startled, a low buzzing sound beginning to echo through the room.

"No!" Lady Eddison gasped, looking around. "It can't be!"

"Show yourself, demon!" Agatha commanded, standing slowly as lightening began

to crash. The buzzing got louder and everyone scattered as the Vespiform rose above the table. Donna grabbed Jenny and ran into the hallway with her, turning around as the Doctor stumbled in with Agatha. Someone jumped up and elbowed the Master in the head, hitting his bad eye. He hissed as his glasses flew to the ground, the pain from his eye momentarily blinding him.

"Master!" the Doctor burst in with a sword, looking wildly around the room for the Wasp before running to his side. "What happened?"

"I'm fine!" he hissed, waving his hand to the floor. "Give me my glasses."

Grieves turned on the lights when he entered, making the room visible since Lady

Eddison's candlelit dinner was obviously over. Everyone looked up at the ceiling, breathing with relief when they realized the giant Wasp was gone.

"My necklace!" Lady Eddison gasped. "The Firestone, it's gone!"

"Roger…" Davenport said helplessly, stepping forward as Robina screamed in horror.

"My son!" Lady Eddison sobbed, slowly staggering to Roger's body, his face in the soup with a knife in his back buried to the hilt. "My child!"

"Master, did you see?" the Doctor asked, as Davenport slowly sank to the floor and Lady Eddison cradled the man's body as best she could.

"No, I was a bit busy," the Master hissed, bothered by the fact that he had missed the murder that occurred right in front of him. The Doctor slowly stood up and disentangled the distraught woman from her son's corpse, handing her to Donna and Colonel Hugh. Robina shakily asked Reverend Golightly if he would do some prayers with her. Jenny crouched beside Davenport and helped him stand, walking with him when he demanded to go to Roger's room.

"I don't sleep in my own, anymore." he said quietly to her when she asked him where he wanted to go. "I can't… I can't be there alone, not now."

"Another death," the Doctor breathed darkly once they were alone, his knuckles white as they dug into the table cloth.

"There's no trace of anything on here," the Master replied, scanning the knife hilt with his laser screwdriver. "But I think he was killed when the Vespiform was in human

form, judging from the angle."

"I promised… she lost a son," the Doctor sighed, closing his eyes. "Davenport lost a lover."

"I doubt she's the murderer," the Master mused thoughtfully. "When the buzzing

began she said 'It can't be'. Hang on…"

The Doctor glared at the Master who was staring off into space thoughtfully, oblivious to his mood.

"That's it?" the Doctor demanded.

"What's it?" the Master asked, turning to the Doctor in confusion.

"A man just died in front of you and your reaction is to rule off another suspect? Is this a game to you?" He yelled, causing the Master's face to shut down, resuming its cold standby.

"Yes, as a matter of fact. It's a puzzle of logic. Can I find who the killer is before all the little humans are dead?"

"You don't care," the Doctor hissed flatly.

"No, I don't care if the Vespiform killed a few humans. This shouldn't be news to you. But," the Master's eyes darkened and narrowed. "It tried to kill you. That is different. That matters."

The Doctor's glare intensified. "My life is equal to that of a humans."

"Oh, now I know you're lying," the Master replied, his usual smirk twisting his lips. "Because if you really thought that, you wouldn't refer to them as humans at all. You'd just call them people. Nice try being your usual judgmental self, though."

The Doctor stared at him wordlessly before he stalked out, storming down the hallway. The Master fumed silently, staring at Roger's body and wondering how a giant wasp could wield a blunt instrument. He thought briefly of the Professor before an idea occurred to him, and he quickly pieced together the puzzle

By the time Donna and Jenny joined the Doctor, the Master, and Agatha in the sitting room, the Doctor still refused to look at the Master. The Master wasn't entirely concerned, he was busy plotting.

"That poor footman," Jenny said quietly, sitting with Donna. "They weren't even out in the open. He can't even morn Roger."

"1926," Donna scoffed, depressed. "It's more like the dark ages."

"Did you enquire after the necklace?" Agatha asked when Donna sat down.

"Lady Eddison brought it back from India," Donna explained quietly. "It's worth thousands."

"It can sting, it can fly," the Doctor began darkly, staring angrily ahead of him. "It can wipe us all out in seconds. Why is it playing this game?"

"Every murder is essentially the same," Agatha said suddenly. "They are committed because somebody wants something."

"Isn't every murder?" the Master muttered under his breath.

"What does a Vespiform want?" the Doctor replied sharply.

"Doctor, stop it," Agatha said dismissively. "The murder is as human as you or I."

"You're right!" the Doctor exclaimed, looking at Agatha with sudden wonder.

"I don't think she is," the Master chimed before the Doctor continued.

"Oh! I've been so caught up in giant wasps that I've forgotten!" the Doctor exclaimed, sitting across from Agatha. "You're the expert."

"I'm not!" Agatha snapped. "I told you, I'm just a purveyor of nonsense."

"Oh no, no, no," The Doctor protested. "Plenty of people write detective stories but yours are the best. But why, why are you so good, Agatha Christie? Because you understand. You've lived, you've fought, you've had your heart broken. You know about people. Their passions, their hope, and their despair and anger, and all of those tiny, huge things that can turn the most ordinary people into killers. If anyone can solve this, it's you."

Agatha was silent for a long moment before she nodded. "I think…" she suddenly looked up, understanding brightening her eyes. "I know who the killer is but I don't know _how_."

"That's our job," the Doctor assured her. "We'll take care of them. Go gather up the guests, it's time to let everyone know."

Agatha nodded mutely and stood up, Donna and Jenny following when they saw the Master struggling to keep silent.

"Going to ignore me?" the Master asked when they were gone.

"No. I need you to take the Vespiform down. It'll attack once its revealed."

The Master stared at the Doctor for a moment more before he jumped up and grabbed him by the lapels of his coat. "Doctor, will you listen to me, seriously, for one minute. One minute, that's all I ask."

"You're asking?" the Doctor replied, raising an eyebrow. "This is new."

"Don't remind me. I'll vomit a little inside my mouth," the Master said as they sat on the couch.

"What?" the Doctor asked, watching the Master blankly.

"I won't apologize for not caring about Roger or the others, because I don't. If you haven't figured that particular trait of mine by now, you're an idiot. Actually, I'm not going to apologize for anything because I've done nothing but help you lately. You are going to stop complaining, because I'm behaving. I've saved all of our lives at the risk of my own, and I don't even know why. It's very confusing for me, this urge."

The Doctor watched him for a long moment. "Yes, I suppose you have."

"Don't make me regret it."

"No," the Doctor agreed with a sigh. "I suppose I shouldn't. But… why do you keep talking about this like it's a phase? Like you could feel like taking over the universe any day now, if your mood changes?"

"Because it is a phase," the Master replied, looking away. "Doctor, this… stability, this peace. It isn't me."

"Master…"

"No!" the Master yelled, standing. "It isn't. But right now, that's okay. Because right now is good. But right now isn't going to last forever, Doctor. It never does with us."

"It doesn't have to be that way though," the Doctor protested. "What's so hard about helping people?"

"I'm not you, Doctor," the Master replied quietly. "We're both lost, in a way, now that we're the last ones. But we have our roles to play, Doctor. The savior isn't mine."

"Then why are you here?" the Doctor demanded, trying to keep the pain out of his face.

"Right now I'm broken, Doctor," the Master replied, turning around. "I can't function anymore with the drums. They have to go. You're the only one who can do that."

"And when I do?" the Doctor asked softly.

The Master shrugged, not meeting his eyes. "I don't know, Doctor. I've lived with them for as long as I can remember. Maybe I won't be me. Maybe I've never been me."

The Doctor was silent, daring to hope that maybe, just maybe, it was the drums that broke the Master. Because if it was, then it wasn't his fault. Maybe then Koschei's face would stop haunting his dreams.

~*~

"I've called you here on this endless night," the Doctor began once they all were assembled in the sitting room, "Because there is a murderer in our midst. And when it comes to detection, there's none finer. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Agatha Christie." The Doctor sat down besides the Master as Jenny and Donna shared a bowl of grapes. Agatha began to unravel all the secrets, revealing that Robina was the Unicorn and that the Colonel could walk. Lady Eddison told her story of how she had fallen in love with a Vespiform diplomat in India and fallen in love even after learning about what he really was. He gave her the Firestone before he was killed, leaving the young Eddison with only a momento and a child she had to give away.

"A child from forty years ago," the Doctor continued, turning to look at Golightly. "How old are you Reverend?"

"Forty…" the Reverend stammered as Lady Eddison gasped in disbelief.

"Proffesor Peach figured it out, didn't he?" the Master asked. "You didn't want her to know, so you killed him. Did you want to meet her on your own terms, or did you just want revenge?"

"Well, this has most certainly been an entertaining evening," the Reverend said, looking nervously at his newfound mother. "Surely you can't believe any of this, Lady Eddisssson."

"Lady who?" the Doctor asked.

"Lady Eddisssssssson," the Reverend tried again.

"Little bit of buzzing there, Vicar?" the Master asked gleefully.

"Don't make me angry!" Reverend Golightly snapped.

"Funny," the Master replied, rising slowly. "I was just about to say the same thing."

"Damn it!" the Reverend yelled, standing up. "You humanssss, worshipping your tribal sky godssss, I am so much more! That night, the Universe exploded in my mind, I wanted to take what wassss mine! And you, Agatha Chrissstie with your railway station books and your romances, what'ssss going to stop me from killing you? What's going to stop me from killing you all!?"

Lady Eddison tried to reach out to him as he transformed but her husband pulled her back. The Master reached into his pocket as Donna grabbed Jenny and pulled her to the door, the dumping the forgotten bowl of grapes on the floor. The guests huddled in one corner of the room as the Vespiform advanced on them until Agatha held up the Firestone.

"No!" she cried. "If my imagination made you kill then my imagination will find a way to stop you, foul creature!"

Agatha ran out the door, Donna and Jenny close behind, and the Doctor and the Master followed once the Doctor was sure the Vespiform wasn't going to attack Lady Eddison.

"Great," Donna shouted as they ran. "Now it's chasing us."

"I told you," the Master shouted as they shut the manor doors in an effort to buy some time. "It was the Vicar. It's always the quiet ones!" They ran from the doors as Agatha pulled round her car just when the Vespiform burst through, splintering the wood.

"What are you doing, Agatha?" the Doctor yelled when she screamed to get the Wasp's attention.

"If I started this, Doctor, than I must finish it!" she replied, turning out of the driveway at top speed, the Vespiform following her as fast as it could.

"Come on!" the Doctor yelled, grabbing the Professor's abandoned four seater as they all climbed in to follow them. He set off after Agatha, making the car go as fast as it could.

"Not exactly high speed, is this?" the Master asked.

"But, we don't have to worry, right?" Jenny asked. "You said this is the night she lost her memory."

"Time is in flux, Jenny, can't you feel it?" the Doctor asked, and Jenny could, that odd sense of something rippling around them, the chords of two different possibilities speeding at them. "This could be the night Agatha Christie loses her life and history changes."

"But where is she going?" Donna shouted.

"The lake!" the Doctor exclaimed as they pulled up next to the body of water. "She's going to the lake, but why?"

"Here I am!" Agatha announced to the Vespiform, holding the Firestone up like a charm. "The honey in the trap. Come to me, Vespiform."

"She's controlling it!" Jenny realized with a gasp.

"It's mind is linked to hers," the Master explained as they all jumped out of the car.

"Quite so, Mr. Masters," Agatha replied. "Even though I know that is not your name. If I die, then maybe this creature dies with me."

"Don't hurt her!" the Doctor shouted, planting himself in front of them. "You're not meant to be like this. You have the wrong template in your mind."

"It's not listening!" Donna said frantically as the Master slipped his laser screwdriver out of his pocket before she grabbed the Firestone from Agatha and threw it into the lake. The Vespiform followed it, diving into the water with a mighty splash.

"How do you kill a wasp?" Donna finally said sadly as they watched the water light up with the Vespiform's frantic transformation underwater, trying to survive. "Drown it. Just like his father."

"Donna, that thing couldn't help itself," the Doctor admonished, adding yet another death to his personal list. Professor Peach he couldn't have helped, everyone else was because he didn't figure it out fast enough.

"Neither could I!" Donna protested.

"Death comes as the end, and justice is served," Agatha said softly.

"Murder at the Vicar's rage," the Doctor said, before blanching at Donna and the Master's faces. "It needs a bit of work."

"Just one more mystery," Agatha said, looking at the pair of them as the Master came to stand beside the Doctor. "Just who exactly are you?"

The Doctor and the Master shared a glance and the Doctor opened his mouth before Agatha doubled over, crumpling to the ground in pain.

"It's the Firestone!" the Doctor yelled, cradling her body. "It's part of the Vespiform's mind. It's dying and it's connected to Agatha!"

The Master watched, shocked, as the pink light enveloped Agatha and she sighed, peacefully falling unconscious. "It let her go!"

"Right at the end, the Vespiform chose to save someone's life," the Doctor added, looked just as surprised as the rest of them.

"Is she all right?" Jenny asked, looking at Agatha with concern.

"Oh, of course!" the Doctor exclaimed. "It wiped her mind of everything, the wasp, the murders…"

"And us," Donna added. "She'll forget about us."

"Yeah, but we solved another riddle," the Doctor explained, the riddle of Agatha Christie. Tomorrow morning, her car will be found by the side of the lake. A few days later, she'll turn up at a hotel in Harrogate with no idea of what just happened. No one will ever know."

"But what about Lady Eddison and the Colonel and all the staff?" Jenny asked. "What about them?"

"Shameful story, they'll never talk about it," the Doctor replied. "Too British. And the Unicorn can only bunk back to London town. She can never even say she was there."

"Doctor," the Master said, standing up. "Come on. We have an appointment at the Harrogate Hotel."

"Right," the Doctor agreed, and they carried her to the TARDIS, not saying a word until after they saw her off.

"She gets remarried, you know," the Doctor said as they watched her go. "Travels the world. Wrote and wrote and wrote."

"You know," the Master remarked as they walked back inside the TARDIS, "She is the best selling novelist of all time. Not bad, for a human."

"I'd like to see you do that, Spaceman," Donna teased as they gathered round the console.

"So, what do we want to do next?" the Doctor asked. "Keep traveling?"

"Definitely," Donna and Jenny said at the same time, smiling at each other.

"Right!" the Doctor replied, setting the coordinates to random. "Master, if you'll just-"

He was cut off as the TARDIS began violently shaking, the usual blue in the center column dimming. The Doctor and the Master scrambled for the controls, managing an emergency landing between the two of them.

"What the hell happened?" Donna demanded as she and Jenny picked themselves up from the floor.

"We've lost power," the Doctor stammered, looking at the console screen. "She's running on back up. Enough energy to keep her internally functional, but not enough to get back to Cardiff to refuel."

"Where are we?" the Master asked, folding up his 1920s glasses and switching them with his original ones.

"It doesn't say," the Doctor replied, smacking the side of the screen as he tried to get a reading. "I don't know."

Jenny walked to the doors and looked out, staring at the barren field that surrounded them. "Doesn't look dangerous," she called back as she looked around the landscape.

"We need to find the nearest Rift and power up, Doctor," the Master told him, leaning against the console. "Until then, we're stuck."

"Stuck!" Donna exclaimed. "I'm not being stuck here for the rest of my life with you!"

"Donna," the Doctor admonished, trying to get the TARDIS scanners to work. "There's humaniod life forms five miles northwest of us."

"You best get walking then," Donna snapped, pushing the two Time Lords out of the TARDIS.

"Oi!" the Master protested. "Why do I have to go?"

Donna rolled her eyes. "Jenny and I can't run around in our dresses, can we?"

The Master scowled as she dragged Jenny back inside and shut the door behind her. "Why does she force us to bond every time we fight?"

"I don't claim to understand her," the Doctor replied with a shrug before turning to the North West. "Onwards?"

The Master sighed heavily before he followed. "Fine. Onwards we go."

**Next Time: Out of Gas**


	9. Prologue: Faded From My Reality

**A/N: I'm not going to lie, this upcoming chapter is a bitch. There is a certain captain (no, not that one) whose charecter voice will not come to me. Seeing as it takes place on HIS ship and he's the main characer on his show, it's a problem. Why yes folks, we have two chapters of crossovers! (Well, with this, a prologue and two chapters...) Anyway, this part is finished, and I felt that it didn't fit in with the rest of the chapter, so I decided that, since it was going to take some more time for the chapter to be finished, I'm posting it. Thanks to Meagen for being my temporary beta, otherwise this fic would go nowhere! EDIT: I forgot the review responses! I wondered why my notes seemed shorter than usual...**

**Review Responses:**

**Bad Werewolf: The Master was working it out along side the Doctor, but since it was from his POV, we got to see a lot more of the mind work. (We don't get to see it much in the show, we only find out he's figured things out when he confronts the villain about twenty minutes later)**

**xXxBeautifullyChaoticxXx: D'aww, thanks! I'll admit, Jenny's grown on me (I hated her episode... or rather her epidode's writing) and the Jenny/Master and Jenny/Donna relationships are some of my favorites! Aw, let's face it, they all are!**

**flyfloyd: When I was younger my parents got me a laptop for the same reason, heh. Thanks!**

**Linné: I find myself looking forward to Rose's return more and more... I even have "The Darkness Is Coming" Icons for when I post to my LJ. Everyone gets one (And Rose gets a few, she's the most important unseen character so far!)  
**

She was used to dreams. Images clawed at her eyes every time she shut them and she was their helpless captive when she slept. Sometimes they were her memories, real or distorted. Other times they were nightmares, or dreams the belonged to others. River couldn't control it at night, even though she was almost completely functional when she was awake.

This time she was on a hill of red grass, staring up at an orange sky. She flexed her fingers out experimentally, smiling when she felt the breeze move her hair. The scent it carried was sweet and alien, and River found herself looking down the slope where two figures were sprawled on the ground. She stepped closer, curious.

"Think of it, Koschei!" one of the boys said to the other, rolling onto his stomach. "Traveling throughout all of time and space, and all we have to do is past one little test!"

"It's not a little test," the other boy corrected. "You'll actually have to study for this one."

"I know all my subjects!" the first boy protested. "I just don't… test well."

"You don't do _anything_ well, Theta," Koschei said, smiling as his companion raised an eyebrow.

"Really? The other night I recall you saying I was quite good at what I do," Theta replied.

"If you want spend the rest of your life doing _that_, I'm not going to stop you," Koschei drawled, brushing dark hair out of his face as the wind blew. He turned to look at his companion before he saw River and froze, his brows furrowing. Theta saw his expression and followed his eye line, scrambling up when he saw her.

"You're not supposed to be here," River said with a small frown. This had been real once, but it wasn't supposed to be found again.

"Yes, well, we were…" Theta's mouth opened and closed before he found an excuse and looked at her hopefully. "Experiment?"

"I'm not supposed to be here, either," she said, her brow furrowed as she tried to remember.

"You're not one of the students," Koschei suddenly said, his eyes suddenly hardening in suspicion. "What are you?"

"Human," River replied, rewarded with a sudden light in Theta's eyes,

"Really!" he exclaimed, running over to her and shaking her hand. "A human, here? Did you come from Earth?"

"It burnt." River said and Theta frowned at her. "Your home burnt too."

"You're standing on Gallifrey," Koschei pointed out as storm clouds rolled in, casting a dark shadow over the hill. "Not exactly a crisp, is it?"

River stared at him as it began to rain, lightening flashing in the still air. "You're dead. Different name, different face, and you rage." She looked at Theta and screamed as he did, his body contorting in pain as it aged and began to morph from body to body.

"What did you do!" Koschei yelled, pushing her out of the way as he knelt besides Theta's body. He had stopped changing, leaving his frame tall and skinny with brown hair sticking up at impossible angles.

"Nothing," River said and Koschei stood up angrily as Theta whimpered.

"Nothing?" he repeated darkly and rushed at her but she didn't blink.

"You're not real," she whispered as he blinked out of the air just as his hands came around her neck.

Theta, "No, not Theta anymore," River said to herself as she bent over him, began to stir and he rolled over to look at her, the buttons on his pinstripe suit straining as he moved.

"River Tam," he said before his eyes flashed and changed color, red and terrible. He reached for her, hungry, and she screamed.

She was still screaming when Mal shook her awake, trying to keep her from falling out of the pilot's chair. River tried to breathe, reminding her brain that the arms holding her steady were her captain's, not something that wanted her dead.

"River?" he asked cautiously, not relaxing his grip just yet.

"No storm," she whispered, looking around. "Only one man with one face, not playing tricks."

"Something I need to be concerned with, River?" Mal asked, frowning when he saw the terror that hadn't faded yet from her eyes.

"Something new," she whispered, and her eyes glowed as a new image entered her mind. "Oh, it's wonderful."

"You screamed," he pointed out, and River gave him a cross look and batted away his hands.

"The monster's not coming for _us_, Mal," she said. "We're too early in the timeline . We get to meet them instead."

"I tend to feel better when you don't speak in riddles, girl," Mal said with a sigh, crossing his arms.

River didn't say anything as she turned and looked towards the kitchen, watching Inara come towards them.

"Mal, is this a bad time?" Inara asked, frowning when she saw the sweat on River's skin.

"Just a nightmare, faded from my reality," River replied, and bent over the console. When the adults only stared at her she frowned at them. "Talk. Talking's important."

"Somethin' you needed to talk about, Inara?" Mal asked after giving one last curious glance at River.

"Yes." Inara smoothed her dress before continuing. "I wouldn't ask this favor but they- well, I thought they were dead."

"Dead?"

"Two companions I knew from the Academy," Inara explained. "They ran into some problems with the Alliance a couple of years ago, and they were expelled from the Guild. We all thought the Alliance had long since executed them, but I just got a wave from them. They've run into trouble with some local thugs who think they can take whatever they want off their land."

"And the Alliance doesn't care what happens to settlers on backwater moons," Mal finished.

Inara nodded. "They heard about… what happened on Miranda and they asked me for help. I'm the only one who can help that they can still trust. It's on Cassiopeia, Simon and Kaylee can take River into the city for a day. Their farmstead is only twenty minutes from there if we take _Serenity_. I know that with what happened last time you might not be comfortable, but-"

Mal held up his hand. "You don't need to go convincin' me, I'll help. What kind of trouble we dealin' with?"

"Just local boys who think they're the next great band of outlaws. They out gun them and with their children they don't want to risk an outright fight."

"And they'll back right down when faced with some muscle. Well, sounds like my kind of party," Mal said. "I'll tell Zoe and Jayne the change in plans and you can give River the coordinates."

"Thank you," Inara said, a genuine smile playing across her lips. Mal gave her a mock bow before he headed to the brig to find the muscle of his crew.

"Very old friends?" River asked as she began to put _Serenity _on the new course.

Inara looked across to the window, smiling fondly as she remembered some distant memory. River didn't try to see. "Annabelle Lee and I grew up in the same House."

"Friends since childhood," River murmured, thinking briefly back to her dream. She finished setting the coordinates, looking up to see Inara frowning slightly.

"I didn't tell you where Cassiopeia was," Inara said.

River shrugged. "I looked it up on the Cortex while you were talking," she explained, looking up with a grin. "We both already knew Mal would say yes." Inara nodded and excused herself from the room, gliding out gracefully. River curled herself up in the seat, looking at the stars in front of her. She didn't tell Inara the truth, knowing that she'd tell Mal and they'd all be suspicious. She didn't say that she had never heard of Cassiopeia before. She didn't need to, she could feel the strings that lay across the Universe leading there, just as they had led to Miranda. But these were different strings, thinner but stronger. And older, much older. River rested her chin on her knees and smiled, waiting.

**A/N: Since the next two chapters will have several River POVs, I'd like to know if people think it works. I'd love your thoughts on this (Especially if you didn't like it, otherwise I won't know if I'm doing it wrong!) **


	10. Out of Gas

**A/N: Seemed to update rather quick this time, didn't I? I was sick one or two days last week, so I had time spent in bed doing nothing. Well, obviously I decided to put the downtime to good work! (And by good work, I mean writing and putting together my "Darkness Is Coming" soundtrack. All I have to say is... Muse is an aptly named band. Thanks to qaffian_luvr for beta-ing this chapter! **

**Review Responses:**

**MicroChips: Doctor Who and Firefly are so perfect for crossing over with each other! I'm trying with Mal, although I do admit that this is a much more River-oriented arch. **

**Bad_werewolf: Thanks! I love writing River, it's such a different kind of prose. **

**flyfloyd: Koschei is just as snarky as the Master, he's just a lot less evil about it! **

Five miles northwest turned out to be a farmstead, a few farm animals fenced in a grassy area, and a small garden for food.

"That's it," the Master said, unimpressed.

"Well… I did say nearest life forms. That doesn't mean no other life forms whatsoever," the Doctor pointed out, only to be rewarded with a glare. The Master stormed up the fence, smoothly jumping to the other side.

As the Doctor climbed over the fence himself, he noticed a child hiding around one corner of the farmhouse.

"Oh hello!" he called, waving cheerfully. "Could you go and find your parents? We're in a bit of trouble."

The child nodded solemnly and disappeared around the corner.

"Well, that solves it," the Master said. "Junior can go and get Pappy, then we'll hitch a ride on the old horse and buggy to the nearest Rift."

"You sound very excited," replied the Doctor, amusement creeping into his voice.

"Do I?" the Master asked before turning around and eyeing the horses. "Well, at least if they don't help us we can always steal some transportation."

"We're not stealing horses from a family farm," the Doctor said.

"We have a TARDIS, Doctor. We could bring them back once she in functioning," the Master replied with a shrug. A door slammed and they turned as the child came around the corner again. He wordlessly pointed at them as a woman came close behind him, warily regarding them from underneath her bonnet.

"Hello," called the Doctor, beaming disarmingly. "We just got a little lost, and-"

"Doctor?" the woman interrupted, staring at him in disbelief.

The Doctor blinked in surprise. "What?"

"Doctor, it is you! I'm Annabelle Lee," she explained, sliding off the bonnet to reveal her blonde hair tucked back into a tight bun. "And… Master, that's you hiding behind those glasses, isn't it?"

"I-" the Doctor stared at her before glancing at their surroundings. "Are we on Londinium?"

"No, Cassiopeia," Annabelle Lee explained. "We left the core planets a long time ago."

"Why? Were the rich men not desperate enough to pay well?" the Master asked.

Annabelle Lee's smile tightened as she glanced down at the boy. "Evan, go play with your sister."

"Sister?" the Doctor glanced at the boy's resemblance to Gareth and the gold band on Annabelle Lee's hand. "Did you and Gareth get married?"

"Six years ago," Annabelle Lee replied, with a warm smile as she led them inside the house. It was clean and cozy, a fire crackling in the corner with a soup boiling in a pot suspended over the fireplace. The first half of the room had a wooden table surrounded by simple straight backed chairs. There was a narrow staircase in the corner leading to another level and sun shone in through glass windows.

"Cassiopeia is a moon of Paquin, isn't it?" the Doctor asked. "Are you settlers?"

"No, this was my great-aunt's farm," Annabelle Lee explained, clearing assorted vegetables from the garden off the table so the Doctor and the Master could sit down. "She died two years ago and she left the farm to us. She was estranged from the rest of the family for being a colonist, the Alliance would never think to look for us here."

"Alliance?" the Master raised an eyebrow. "As in the Union of Allied Planets?"

"They wished Agent 35's experiments to remain unknown to the public," Annabelle Lee explained, her lips forming a thin line. "They branded us traitors and ordered us to be killed. Lucky we still had enough friends to escape in time, but it was close."

"Doesn't sound particularly Alliance," the Master said. "This star system is a magnet for space travel."

"You mean aliens?" Annabelle Lee asked, shaking her head. "No one's seen an alien around here. We thought Reavers where, for a while, but they were just men."

"We did leave you during the early Alliance period," the Doctor said, scratching his chin. "Suppose it makes sense."

"Now, how did you and the Master find yourselves here?" Annabelle Lee asked. "I didn't see the TARDIS outside."

"We're sort of stuck," the Doctor replied sheepishly. "We ran out of fuel."

"In mid-flight," the Master added. "Only the Doctor could do that."

"What does the TARDIS run on?"

"Well… this and that. What would be easiest would be finding a Rift," the Doctor continued seeing Annabelle Lee's blank look. "Do you know any planets that are rumored to have strange events? Lights in the sky, odd devices or a few disappearances?"

Annabelle Lee bit her lip, thinking. "Maybe Ita. They said they've found aliens there but no one believes them."

"Ita," the Master's brow furrowed. "I've never heard of it before. Where is that?"

"I don't know," Annabelle Lee explained with an apologetic shrug. "I've only heard it mentioned on Londinium before we left."

"Sounds suspicious," the Doctor murmured as a rumbling echoed overhead, shaking the house.

"Oh!" Annabelle jumped up and tied her bonnet back on. "I nearly forgot we were having company today!"

"Is that a ship?" the Doctor asked, going to the window before his eyes widened. "It's a firefly!"

"A firefly?" the Master repeated, unimpressed. "That's an old ship design, Doctor."

"A fantastic ship design! I've always wanted to see one!" the Doctor replied, before eagerly following Annabelle Lee outdoor. The ship's hatch opened, doubling as a ramp. A well dressed dark haired woman stepped down the ramp to meet Annabelle Lee.

"Inara," Annabelle Lee called, delicately kissing her friend on the cheek. "_Lao pung yo, nee can chi lai hun yo jing shen_."

"It's been too long," the woman agreed, glancing at Annabelle Lee's simple cotton dress. "The local clothing looks wonderful on you."

"Not my type, but it's so much easier to blend in," Annabelle Lee explained with a laugh, turning to look at the people standing behind behind the woman.

"This is Captain Malcolm Reynolds," Inara introduced. Annabelle Lee shook his hands as Gareth came down the ramp, looking past his wife to the Doctor and the Master.

"Doctor?" he asked in surprise.

"Hullo, Gareth," the Doctor replied cheerfully, still admiring the ship.

"When did you get here?" he asked, looking at his wife questioningly.

"Oh, our ship sort-of stopped working. We just happened to stumble into your path," the Doctor said, running around the side of the ship before whistling in appreciation.

"Ignore him," the Master said, seeing the expressions on the ship's crew's faces. "He has the attention span of a three years old."

"Right," Captain Reynolds said, sparing the Doctor one last glance before turning back to the couple. "So, we heard you were in a peck of trouble?"

"Trouble?" the Doctor asked, cheer leaving his face at once. "What kind of trouble?"

"Just some local boys who think they can muscle us off the farm," Annabelle Lee explained. "Nothing you need to worry about, not with the crew of _Serenity_ here."

The Doctor eyed the guns the crew had. "Is there going to be a fight?"

"Shouldn't be," Captain Reynolds replied. "Not unless the boys try their luck."

"Which they won't," Gareth added. "Their parents own successful businesses in the nearest town, so they're used to getting what they want. They'll back down as soon as they come into contact with real rebels."

"Rebels, eh?" a tall well-built man grunted. "Big damn heroes is more like it."

"We haven't done any thrilling heroics yet, Jayne," a dark skinned woman said coolly before looking back at the captain. "We'll start scouting, sir."

"This is an intimidation mission, Jayne," Mal reminded the man as he turned. "Don't fire unless the shoot you first. Unless they're good shots."

"And then, sir?" the woman asked with a raised eyebrow.

"If you need a good shot-" the Master started but the Doctor glared at him warningly. "What? I'm only trying to be helpful."

"Go on, Zoe," Captain Reynolds said, nodding at the woman before turning back to Annabelle Lee and Gareth. "When did they say they'd be here?"

"Twenty minutes," Gareth replied. His skin had gotten darker from working under the sun. Even Annabelle Lee had given up on her cosmetics. They still carried the grace of a Companion, though, the training shining out from under the country clothing.

"Do you think there'll be much trouble?" Annabelle Lee asked, glancing back towards the house. Two tiny faces peered out of them.

"Shouldn't be," Mal assured her with a confident smile.

"Guns, really?" the Doctor asked the couple with a sigh.

"We're at the fringes of the Universe, Doctor," Gareth said firmly. "We'd prefer to not to stoop to this, but sometimes it's the only way."

"Fringes of the Universe," the Master repeated in amusement. "You haven't seen anything yet."

"Really?" Inara asked, her eyes running over him. "What makes you say that?"

"This is the Doctor," Annabelle Lee broke in before the Master could reply.

"Inara Serra," the woman replied, smiling warmly at him. "Pleasure to meet you."

"And that's the Master," Annabelle Lee continued, beckoning him over.

"People call you the Master?" Captain Reynolds asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"Generally, yes." The Master smiled, showing all of his teeth.

"Harold Master," the Doctor added.

"Very nice, _John_," the Master shot back, "Rob me of my mystery."

"Where's Donna?" Annabelle Lee asked suddenly.

"She's with our little blue box," the Doctor explained. Annabelle Lee and Gareth nodded in understanding.

"In town for long?" Gareth asked as Captain Reynolds returned, eyes scanning the horizon.

"Not exactly. We're trying to find a ship. Where's the nearest port?"

"Southside? Two days drive with a horse and buggy," Annabelle Lee said, frowning. "Will that carry your box?"

"Oh, it's light enough," the Doctor replied.

"I'm sure we'll find someone," the Master said, an idea coming to him as his eyes flicked over to Mal. "We have more than enough money so we can pay whatever fee they want."

"That'll come in handy, specially in Southside," Gareth said. "Good ships are expensive and you wouldn't want to travel on the cheaper ones."

"Southside?" Inara asked. "We have friends to collect there, maybe the captain will take you."

"Where're you heading from Southside?" Mal asked, looking at the pair of them consideringly.

"Ita," the Doctor replied.

"They're trustworthy," Annabelle Lee added. "Saved us from the Alliance."

"Did they now?" the captain asked. "Can you pay for the trip?"

" How much for ourselves and our two companions??" the Doctor asked. As he bartered with the captain, the Master stared up at the ship. "Serenity" was painted on it's side. The Master eyed it, trying to remember why the name was familiar.

"Think you can stand on a real ship for a while?" Annabelle Lee asked him quietly. "It's a bit smaller than the TARDIS."

"With the Doctor it's not small enough," the Master replied.

"Captain Reynolds," Gareth called, keeping his eye on the horizon. "Our local boys are coming."

Mal turned away to collect Zoe and Jayne and Annabelle Lee quickly took Inara and the two Time Lords into the house, despite their protests. The Doctor hesitated, standing in the doorway before deciding that Malcolm Reynolds was a man of his word. If he said he would try to avoid violence, then he would. Besides, the Doctor reasoned as Annabelle Lee pressed a cup of tea into his hands, he couldn't fight all the battles for humans.

-------

Donna admitted that Jenny could be learning more complex things at the moment, like operating the TARDIS or how to create one of those temporal-whibbling-neutron-dispenser machines or whatever the Doctor and the Master liked to talk about, but she also had to learn sensible things. Things that were very important. Things that Donna knew the Doctor would never think to teach her because really, for an alien genius the man was an idiot.

"Do we get to put icing on it now?" Jenny asked, staring at the cake on the cooling rack. Donna had started by teaching her how to make a pot of tea because, really, that was a life skill. Then they had moved onto pancakes and hot chocolate. Jenny had soaked up the information like a sponge, so Donna decided to indulge her sweet tooth and taught her how to make a chocolate cake from scratch. Nothing said bonding like chocolate.

"We have to wait till the cake cools completely," Donna explained, sipping her tea.

"I bet it'll be delicious," Jenny replied with a grin.

"It's my granddad's recipe. Best in all of London," Donna promised. Jenny nodded and picked up the icing spoon, licking off the extra. Donna rolled her eyes- it seemed licking was genetic.

"Donna?" the Doctor's voice called from somewhere down the corridor.

"Speak of the devil," Donna murmured to herself as the Doctor came into the kitchen.

"We've got transport!" he announced cheerfully, bouncing on his heels. "Quickly pack up some of your clothes."

"Why?" Donna asked, surprised. "Are we leaving the TARDIS behind?"

The Doctor looked shocked. "Course not! We're being transported by another ship- we're on a planet called Cassiopeia, by the way. We met Annabelle Lee and Gareth, and they might get a bit suspicious if we live in the tiny blue wooden box."

"Annabelle Lee and Gareth?" Donna repeated. "What are the odds?"

"Very very small to the point of being minute. Now, hurry up and pack, and I mean dump everything in, like there's an evacuation. They're probably wondering how the three of us fit in here, as we speak."

"Great," Donna said with a sigh, standing up. "You can clean up the cake then."

"Cake?" the Doctor repeated, perking up and causing Jenny to laugh. Donna shook her head at him as she left the kitchen, pleased to find her bedroom to be the second door on the left. If the Doctor insisted it was a speedy pack then Donna would be speedy. She tossed in her favorite gray tunic and her tan leather jacket as well as a few other items from her dresser. She might be stuck in the middle of the desert, about to board a spaceship for a distant moon or asteroid or wherever the Doctor was taking them, but she wasn't going to leave behind her cell phone. She wanted to be able to call Granddad to say goodbye if something went wrong. Fun little trips often ended in disaster and Donna didn't want to be caught unawares.

Jenny turned out to be a faster packer than she was and was already waiting in the hall.

"The Doctor already has his own bag and he packed the Master's," Jenny explained. "Oh, and when we leave he wants us to toss out our bags first and open the door as little as possible."

"He packed the Master's night bag for him?" Donna asked, amused. "My, they've become an old married couple awfully quick."

"Haven't they always been?" Jenny asked as they walked through the console room, following the Doctor's instructions as they heaved their bags out of the door before slipping through it themselves. They were blinded by the sudden sun and had to blink several times before they realized a spaceship was towering over them. It was obvious it was an old ship for its time, but Donna could see why the Doctor was so excited. It looked like his type of ship.

"These your companions?" a man was asking the Master.

"Donna Noble and Jenny Smith," the Master replied, waving at each woman respectively.

"Smith?" the man asked, turning to look at Jenny. "Look a mite young to Dr. Smith's daughter."

"Wife?' Another man grunted, striding down the ship's ramp. "Hell, all the pretty ones are taken."

"Hold on, sunshine," Donna snapped, glaring at him. "Are you implying that I'm not pretty?"

"She's my niece," the Doctor quickly cut in before the man could reply, not wanting Donna to get in a fight.

"Hmm," the first man replied before holding out his hand for Donna. "Captain Malcolm Reynolds. You can ignore Jayne, his momma dropped him on his head when he was a baby."

"Hello," Donna smiled, shaking his hand. Captain Reynolds was handsome, no way around that.

"This is Zoe, my first mate," Mal was saying as a tall dark skinned woman appeared at the top of the ramp as while driving a small cart down to the TARDIS. "You've already met Jayne, and the rest of our crew is down at Southside. We'll be flying over there as soon as we're loaded."

"How many rooms are we staying in?" Donna asked the Master quietly. She would have asked the Doctor, but he was helping load the TARDIS onto the little vehicle.

"They had three available rooms," the Master replied. "The Doctor and I are sharing the last one, you two get the others."

"Oh my, sharing a room?" Donna asked wryly. "You two are moving awfully fast. I hope the walls are thick."

"You have an unhealthy obsession with our sex life, Donna," the Master replied easily. Donna chuckled in amusement before picking up her bag and following everyone else up the ramp.

"Right," Mal said, closing the hatch doors. "Few ground rules to go through. Number one, don't be in the hold unless one of the crew is with you. If you need to get to your cargo, find one of us and we'll go with you. You have a clear shot at the kitchens, feel free to whenever you want. We do have group dinners, but they're not mandatory or anything if you're feelin' solitary. If you feel sick or get hurt, tell our Doctor and he can patch you right up."

"Would you mind if I used the kitchen tonight?" Jenny asked. "I know it's only our first night but I think Donna and I could make something special."

"We don't have anything but the basics," Mal warned.

Jenny grinned. "We still have some extra food left in… our blue box. We can share."

"Shiny," Mal agreed before clapping his hands. "Well, we'll just be off then. You four get settled and you'll meet the rest of the crew soon enough."

"This is so exciting," Jenny whispered to Donna as they followed Zoe up a set of metal stairs and down a hallway to their rooms. "We are going to have a fantastic time!"

Their rooms were small, barely able to fit a bed. Still, Donna reasoned, it was better than being stuck in the desert for the rest of their lives. She smirked, wondering how long it would be before the Master and the Doctor killed each other in the small space.

--

River stood with Kaylee and Simon in the marketplace at Southside, running her fingers along the cover of the book she had bought with her shiny new wages. It was blue with eight blue squares carved into the front, filled with blank pages. She wasn't quite sure why she had felt the urge to buy it but she didn't fight it.

"Here comes _Serenity_," Kaylee announced, craning her neck to look at the sky with a fond smile. "Looks like their job went smoothly."

"Of course," Simon agreed. "The only jobs that ever go smooth happen if I'm not there."

"Oh, come off it, Simon," Kaylee giggled, playfully pushing him. "The captain and Zoe have done hundred of smooth jobs. Sometimes things just get mucked up."

_Serenity_ landed neatly in the port and the hatch opened, the compressors hissing as it lowered. River stared, delighted, at the little blue box she could see from the hold, bright like a beacon.

"It's here," she breathed,

"Course it's here, silly," Kaylee told her, grabbing her hand as they walked up the ramp. "Did you think they'd leave us behind?"

"Leave you behind?" Mal asked. "Why would I do a moon brained thing like that when I got the best mechanic and pilot in the whole 'verse?"

"You forgot to add 'doctor', Mal," Kaylee replied cheerfully.

"Huh. Funny that," Mal said.

"I'm wounded Mal, really. I'm hurt you wouldn't think of me," their doctor replied, a small smile on his lips.

"Careful, Simon. You're coming awful close to humor and I don't want to overtax that brain of yours," said the captain before he turned to River. "There's an Alliance cruiser headed this way and I'd rather be in the air than on the ground when they land."

"I want to meet them first," River said, her eyes never leaving the TARDIS.

"The new people?" Mal asked, not even bothering to ask how she knew about them. "Plenty of time to get to know them once we're out in the black."

River hesitated, drawn to the blue box but decided to obey her captain. She didn't want him to get suspicious of them. She practically flew to the controls as Mal announced their departure over the com system, getting _Serenity _into atmo and on course as fast as she safely could. Job done, she returned to the hold. She stepped down the stairs, drawn to the three new passengers. The blue box distracted her for a moment, a muted whisper coming from within. The voice called to her and River smiled in return, gland that she and _Serenity_ had someone new to talk to.

After she filtered out the blue box she focused on the people. Two women, one young and blonde while the other was older and red-haired, were introducing themselves to Simon and Kaylee while a man in a pristine black suit spoke with the captain.

"Hello," River called to them, surprising the crew.

"Hello," the older woman replied with a wave. "I'm Donna."

River saw movement over Donna's shoulder but she ignored it. It wasn't from her time and River knew an echo when she saw one.

"This is my sister, River," Simon said, worriedly reaching for her shoulders to pull her back.

"I'm Jenny," the blonde girl said with bright eyes and an eager smile.

"You're young," River realized aloud. Jenny's eyes widened slightly, but she gave no other reaction.

"So are you," she pointed out with a strange smile. The man in the black suit had been watching her sharply ever since she first opened her mouth. River turned to him, trying to see past his dark glasses.

"Harold Master," he said, holding out his hand to shake. River sucked in her breath as she felt his cold hand. _**Time Lord**_. Then, smaller, _danger_.

"Saxon," she murmured. Only the man heard it and dropped her hand as if he had been burnt.

"River?" Simon asked in concern. "Are you okay?"

River opened her mouth to assure him that everything was right, when the door of the blue box opened.

"Sorry," a man's voice called. "I have the first part of the passage here."

River turned to see the new man, recognizing him from her dream. The moment he stepped out of the box, River's world dissolved into blinding white pain.

--

The Master had been uneasy having met the crew. There was something familiar about them, something that he couldn't remember. Then the girl, the ship's pilot, came to the hold and everything fell apart. And when she had called him Saxon, the Master was certain he didn't want her delving any more into his past.

"River?" Simon was shouting as his sister convulsed on the floor, hands clawing at her head and screaming. "What's wrong?"

"What's going on here?" Mal shouted and all eyes turned to them suspiciously.

"I don't…" the Doctor trailed off, staring at her. "Who is she?"

"She knows things," the Master replied before an idea occurred to him.

"Things?" the Doctor asked. "What things?"

The Master ignored him and turned to Simon. "Is your sister psychic?"

"I-what?" Simon asked, looking up from where he was trying to calm the girl down.

"Is your sister psychic?" the Master repeated through gritted teeth.

"Why do you need to know?" Mal asked, his voice ringing with false calm.

"Listen," the Master began but the captain cut him off.

"You need to do some explaining," Mal said. "I'm rather partial to my pilot and she's not of much use when she's in pain. So whatever you are doing needs to stop or I swear there will be some unpretty consequences."

"Doctor, help her," Donna cried as River continued to convulse. "She's having a seizure!"

"That's not a seizure, Donna," the Doctor said quietly. "That's-"

"That is what happens when someone can hear the Doctor's thoughts," the Master interrupted.

"What?" Simon asked. "She can't hear thoughts!"

"High level psychic." The Master scowled. "I asked if she was psychic and you wouldn't answer me. Instead we're wasting time arguing when I could be fixing it. If you wait much longer, her mind will be fried to a crisp."

"What?" Mal growled and drew his gun, aiming it at the Doctor. Jayne and Zoe followed suit as Inara emerged from her shuttle.

"What is going on?" she cried, running down steps.

"That's what I'd like to know," Mal replied.

The Doctor glared at them. "If you'd lower the guns and let us help-"

"You call this helping?" Mal shot back. The Master growled and darted to River's side pressing his finger tips to her temples.

"What are you doing?" Simon cried in alarm.

"Saving her life," the Master replied, sinking into her mind. The first thing he was aware of was pain and panic, her mind struggling to protect itself as the Doctor's consciousness washed over her in waves. He quickly slid his way through to her defenses and coaxed up some walls, giving the girl a shield. He glanced at the barriers, not sure that they would hold.

"They won't," a voice said from behind him. He turned to see the girl standing behind him, framed by bright light. He couldn't see anything more than her silhouette.

"Need some help, then," the Master replied. He gave the walls an extra boost with his own mind, helping them until the completely protected her psyche. That done, he turned to study the mindscape around him.

"We can see now," the River avatar said before pointing. "Look. There I am."

He glanced in that direction and raised an eyebrow. There were hundreds of copies of the girl, each doing something different. One danced, another seemed to be flying a ship while yet another one was cooking. Every action had a different girl and they scattered about, tearing around in different directions.

"That one can't get out," River said, pointing to another version of herself in a cage. She paced the length of her prison, weapons in her hands as she sliced at the invisible enemies around her. "She's not safe. We have to guard her."

"Your brain waves are different," the Master observed.

"For a human, you mean?" River asked.

The Master turned to her and nodded. "You're different."

"They stripped my brain," she explained with a shrug. "Knocked their way in and changed what they wanted, picking me apart until they had a living doll."

"Who did?" the Master asked.

River tipped her head at him. "You have both eyes here."

"What?" the Master asked, distracted.

"It's a noble eye you're missing. It saved her life," she continued before stopping and looking up. "My brother's worried. You should go before Jayne shoots you."

"The Doctor wouldn't let-"

"I know," she turned and looked him in the eye. "He'd punish them. They're my family. I don't want the Doctor's wrath to fall on them."

"How do you know so much?" the Master asked, curious despite himself.

River shrugged. "I was born into the Universe and I know it. I can listen and speak but I never understand what I see."

"But do you-" River stopped him, and a million hands seemed to push him to the surface at once.

"No time for that. _Go_."

The Master found himself out of her mind and he let his hands drop from her head. River sighed and her head dropped onto Simon's shoulder.

"What's happening?" Kaylee was asking quietly.

"I'm wondering the same thing myself," Mal replied. "And I think our new guest are going to enlighten us."

"Really?" the Master replied. "I think you're the ones who have to do the explaining."

"Us?" Mal repeated, laughing humorlessly. "You're a little funny in the brainpan, aren't you?"

The Doctor glanced between them. "Master…"

"Her mind's been torn apart," the Master told him, gesturing at River. "It's been stripped and rearranged."

"How did you know that?" Simon asked, clutching his sister closer.

"I saw it when I went in to pull up shields. She was burning to death because you wouldn't tell us she was psychic!"

Mal took an angry step forward. "Are you saying this is our fault?"

"I'm saying that if you had let us-" The Master was cut off as a loud whistle pierced the air. They all turned to look at Donna as she glared at them and brought her fingers down from her mouth.

"Waving guns around and shouting at each other is a not going to solve anything," she said, her eyes flicking between the Master and Mal. "The alpha dog routine is just going to waste time."

"We're not-" the Master and Mal began but she held up a finger to stop them.

"Master, this is Mal's ship. I don't care if you're a freaky genius, you can't always be in control of everything. He's captain, and he's being nice enough to give us a lift so shut it!"

"At least one of your crew has an ounce of common sense in her," Mal said.

"And you!" Donna said, rounding on him. "The Master was just trying to help her, okay? If it weren't for him she'd still be in pain so you can be a little more thankful and a little less suspicious."

"Sir, maybe we should all sit down and find out what happened," Zoe said. "I want to know exactly what happened to River and make sure it never happens again."

"Fine," Mal snapped, gesturing to the kitchen. "We meet in the galley in five minutes. Simon, get your sister settled."

"Yes, captain," Simon said softly as Mal stormed away, stomping up the steps. Zoe trailed after him, throwing one last wary glance at them over her shoulder. Simon was running ahead towards another open door as Jayne carried River, handling her with surprising care.

"She'll be okay, right?" Kaylee asked shakily. "I mean, it wasn't permanent or nuthin', was it?"

"He fixed it," the Doctor told her solemnly.

"But what happened? I mean, River's been better lately, she hasn't gone off in a fit since… for months," Kaylee pressed.

Inara wrapped an arm around the frightened girl's shoulder, speaking calmly. "Simon will make sure she's all right, Kaylee. I have some tea in my shuttle, it should help calm everyone down."

"What just happened?" Jenny asked the moment they were alone in the hold.

"Remember the accident with that Agent I told you about?" the Doctor asked, continuing when the girl nodded. "It stripped down my mental defenses. It hasn't been a problem, but coming across River… she's a high level psychic. She could feel my Time Lord brain at full force."

"A human mind can't support a Time Lord one," the Master explained. "It gets overwhelmed."

"She almost died?" Jenny repeated, her face draining of color. "That's what could happen if I don't have the proper shields? I could hurt people?"

"You have enough shields, Jenny," the Doctor promised. "You don't have to worry about that."

"What are we going to tell them?" Donna asked. "Tell them 'Sorry I scorched your crew member, it's just that some crazy woman strapped me down to a chair and screwed with my brain'? That's not a reason, that's bad pornography!"

"That's exactly what we're going to tell them," the Doctor replied. "What else do we say?"

The four of them slowly walked up the stairs to the bridge running across the hold, following into a cheerily painted kitchen. A well-worn wooden table stood in the centre of the room with an assortment of chairs circled around it. While the rest of the ship seemed to be made of cold metal, the kitchen was painted in yellows and browns, giving the room a warm feeling.

"Everyone here?" Mal thundered from the doorway. Down the corridor beyond him, the Master could see the blinking lights of the console in the cockpit hiding just behind the open metal doors.

"We're all here, Mal," Inara said, settling into her chair. Mal sat at the head of the table and eyed the chairs across from him expectantly as they say down.

"So." Mal nodded at them. "Explain."

"This might sound sort-of strange," the Doctor began.

"Doctor, I've seen all manner of strange things. Nothing you can say will likely surprise me," Mal replied coolly.

The Doctor's eyes sparked mischievously for a moment before he continued. "I've had a recent run-in with an Alliance agent. In her quest for knowledge she found my psychic abilities rather interesting. As a result she strapped me to a chair and… Well, she played with my brain."

The entire crew took a second to look shocked before Zoe spoke.

"They played with your brain?" she asked hesitantly.

The Doctor nodded. "So to speak. There was machines involved and science and whatnot but long story short, it's temporarily stripped me of some off my defenses. One of them changes they way I broadcast my consciousness. It's not something that affects much unless I'm near a high level psychic. It hasn't been a problem. At least, until we met River."

"Speaking of River," the Master said as the crew absorbed this information. "What happened to her?"

"The Alliance played with her brain too," Simon replied quietly from the corner. "River Tam was someone they wanted." The Master and the Doctor stared at him before it slowly dawned on them.

"Did you say River Tam? As in _the_ River Tam?" the Doctor stood up. "_Wuh duh ma huh tah duh fong kwong duh wai shung_!"

Donna stared at him. "Since when do you speak Chinese?"

"Now is not the time Donna," the Doctor said, eyes darting around the ship. "I should have known! How many Fireflies in the universe are named _Serenity_?"

"Something wrong, Doctor?" Mal asked with a deadly calm voice as he stood up. "What's wrong with my boat?"

"Nothing's wrong with the boat," River voice said from the doorway. They turned, startled to see her leaning against the frame. "They're just in the wrong timeline. They're afraid of doing the wrong thing. It might change all of history. Can't get too close or the timelines break."

"Can't get too close to what, River?" Simon asked.

River's eyes flicked past them, staring at the cockpit beyond the kitchen. Suddenly, alarms were going off and the crew rushed forward. Somehow River and Mal managed to be the first ones there, sliding into the pilot seats with ease.

"Proximity alert," the ship repeated before Mal switched it off as they stared out the window at an unmoving ship. It hung in the black space dark and hulking.

"Any distress signals, River?" Mal asked as she bent over the console, fingers flying gracefully from one control to the next.

"Negative. Negative everything, no life, no power." She looked up at them, her eyes wide. "The dead are screaming."

"They didn't even send out an SOS?" the Master asked, craning his neck to look at the readings. "The only reason they wouldn't have time is if there was instant power failure."

"Lights, air, temperature all went at once," River said, staring out at the ship, now a tomb for the dead. "Froze to death gasping in the dark."

"We should find out what went wrong," the Doctor said.

"_We _are not doing anything," Mal snapped. "You're a passenger, _dong ma_? Only my crew goes."

"I might be able to help figure out what went wrong," the Doctor argued, gritting his teeth.

"With a ship? What kind of a Doctor knows anything about ships?"

"I'm a doctor of everything!"

"Verbena," River whispered, and suddenly the ship was silent.

"What did you say?" Jayne growled.

River blinked and shook her head, the moment passing. "We'll arrive on Santho in two days."

"Santho?" Kaylee asked, confused. "What's on Santho?"

"Heard of someone who needs some property to be discreetly lifted off world," Mal explained, shooting a glance at his passengers. "It's legal work, but the client didn't want a well known service."

"If we're done with this meeting," Donna said tiredly, wanting to get away from the sight of the lifeless ship, "Are we excused for the night?"

Mal hesitated before waving them away. "Yes, fine. But don't think we won't speak tomorrow, Doctor."

"Looking forward to it," the Doctor called over his shoulder as he walked down the hallway to the corridor. Parting ways, they slid back to their rooms, the two women falling asleep almost immediately.

"Eventful day," the Doctor remarked with a frown, thinking of the ship.

"You do realize you almost killed River Tam, right?" the Master asked, raising an eyebrow. "That would have been a spectacular blow to the timeline."

"Master," the Doctor said with a frown. "It's not funny."

"Never said it was," the Master pointed out as he folded up his dark lenses and put them away. "Either way, that girl's abilities were not exaggerated."

"Really? " the Doctor asked, intrigued.

"Once I got the walls up she was able to push me out of her head," the Master said. "No normal human can do that."

"Hnn," the Doctor nodded in agreement and stretched out across the bed, looking at the light switch expectantly. "Turn that off?"

"Ordering me around?" the Master asked, his good eye flashing.

"Asking nicely," the Doctor corrected before smirking. "And promising enjoyable rewards."

"Oh are you now?" the Master raised an eyebrow and flicked the switch off before lowering himself onto the Doctor. Their lips met in a kiss and soon they were battling for dominance before the Master cheated and stuck his hand down the Doctor's trousers. They were having quite a good time until Donna banged on their door.

"Bloody spacemen!" she shouted crossly through the door. "Some of us are trying to sleep while you two make an unholy racket!"

Donna, the Master noted furiously as the Doctor sighed and rolled over to turn his back to him, had an unrivaled talent for showing up at the wrong time.

---

River had fled to her bed while the crew suited up to investigate the ship and pretended like she didn't hear the Doctor sneak out to observe them. She didn't sleep, she didn't want to. The Master had entered her head but she could see into his and he had more nightmares than she did. She saw his past, all of it, even what he had forgotten. She waited until she heard the Doctor return and for Serenity to become silent while the crew settled down and Mal piloted the hell away from that ship. She knew what they would find, the floating bodies on the dead ship. She heard Kaylee tell Mal that nothing was wrong the engine or the equipment, that the ship just died. River could have told them all of that, like the dead had told her. But she didn't. She didn't want them staring at her like she was broken all the time.

Instead, River spent the night in the hold. She leaned against the little blue box that called itself a TARDIS and listened to it talking to _Serenity_. The two ships were very alike. They both were considered junkers by the universe but had developed into an actual being for the people who lived inside them. The Doctor was aware that the TARDIS was alive, but River didn't think Mal knew Then again he might; Malcolm Reynolds was the only man even River sometimes had trouble reading.

River wasn't surprised when Jenny snuck down to the TARDIS in the early morning. She quietly unlocked the TARDIS door and stepped inside, slipping back out ten minutes later with her arms filled with boxes. River purposely stomped on the floor so Jenny would hear her and the girl spun around.

"Oh!" she gasped, her eyes widening guiltily. "I know I'm not supposed to be down here, but I wanted to see if I could make something for everyone for breakfast. Food brings people together and all that."

"It's okay," River said, smiling at her. "I'll help you."

"Really?" Jenny asked before beaming at River, her smile lighting up the dark. "I can't make much, just pancakes and hot chocolate."

It was River's turn for her eyes to lighten up. "I haven't had those since I was a child."

"I have all the ingredients," Jenny said, nodding at the boxes. "We, er, stocked up for our trip. But now that we're here I think we should use it, before it goes bad."

River laughed and took one of the boxes, helping Jenny carry them up the stairs. "I don't think the TARDIS would let food do that. She likes perfection."

"How did you know that?" Jenny asked, astonished.

"She told me," River explained quietly. She waited for Jenny's eyes to become hooded, her face to close off. Even Simon did that sometimes, though River knew he had and would sacrifice everything for her.

Instead, Jenny laughed and she leaned closer conspiratorially. "You too? She can be a bit of a meddler sometimes, can't she?"

River decided that she liked this girl.

-

Mal had seen a lot of odd sights coming into the kitchen in the morning. He had found Jayne singing to his guns and Kaylee and Simon trying to wash off paint as they awkwardly tried to pretend that there weren't blue handprints on certain, frankly hilarious parts of their anatomy. He had once found Zoe covered in flour and angrily staring at a mixing bowl on Wash's birthday, an incident that they didn't talk about before and certainly wouldn't now. Still, finding River and Smith's niece flipping hotcakes as they giggled at one stuck to the ceiling was not something he ever expected to see.

"_Serenity_ wanted a pancake, Mal," River explained when she saw him. "I tried to explain to her that ships don't eat, but she thought they smelled too good."

"I'll clean up the mess," Jenny promised, pouring more batter onto the pan. "We just wanted to make everyone breakfast."

"Is that maple syrup?" was all Mal could ask, staring in shock at the fresh food.

"And strawberries, Mal!" River cried, her laughter echoing throughout the ship. "Cinnamon and apple sauce."

"Where did all this come from?" Mal finally managed.

"We have left over supplies in our box," Jenny explained. "I wanted to share."

"They can afford it," River added, although Mal had the distinct impression that the girl didn't mean they could buy more. At that point Zoe, always an early raiser, came in, and Mal was fairly sure that his expression mirrored hers.

"Captain?" she asked, turning to look at Mal.

He could only shrug. "_Shiao duh_."

Donna entered the kitchen, smiling cheerily at them. "Oh this looks like a cozy breakfast. Are those pancakes?"

"Freshly made!" Jenny replied, setting the last bowl on the table.

"Why don't we just tuck in, then?" Donna asked brightly. "I can help you make more when people start waking up."

"The pancakes start out destabilized," River said to Zoe and Mal as they slowly sat down. "Just bits and pieces. Then you cook them for a while and they become something new."

"New and delicious," Donna replied with her mouth still full. "These are _really_ good."

"Don't look at me," Jenny replied, grabbing a spoonful of strawberries. "River did most of the cooking. I just explained it to her and off she went."

"You're a damn fine cook, River," Mal admitted, piling fruit on his plate. It wasn't so much about the food, which was much better than any of the _go se _they'd had lately. But River was happy, genuinely happy. Mal hadn't seen her eyes this clear in weeks. The rest of the crew trickled in and out of the kitchen as they woke up, Simon seeming to be the most surprised.

Mal had already done his "captain" duties and was drinking the mug of hot chocolate River had pressed into his hands when the Doctor and the Master wandered in.

"Hullo, Doctor," Jenny called, wiping up the last of the dishes. "You two have missed breakfast, I'm afraid."

"Yes, well," the Master replied, smugly straightening his tie. "We were busy."

River turned to look at them. "Laying on the grass," she said softly. Donna cocked an eyebrow.

"Is that what they're calling it now?" she asked, laughing. River smiled one of her crooked smiles and ducked her head, continuing to clean the glass she was holding, wiping at some invisible spot.

Mal eyed the two men as they sat down at the table. He noticed that Master always wore dark glasses even inside the ship and he didn't like it much. You could tell a lot about a man by looking him in the eye and Mal wondered if Master had something to hide. He watched as Master leaned forward and murmured something into Smith's ear, causing Smith to make an annoyed face before shaking his head and giving the other man a fond smile. Mal looked quickly back down at his mug. He didn't care much about how two men spent their time but he wasn't one to watch intimate moments. He would have need to have a word with Jayne about any _fei hua _comments.

----

The Master sat on the metal grating that ran across the top of the hold, watching the people below. Kaylee had playfully challenged Jenny to a game of what resembled basketball and it wasn't long before everyone else had joined in as well. Simon had joined his little girlfriend and the Doctor was pulled in to be on her team while Jenny recruited Jayne and Donna. Zoe watched from the sidelines, calling out what few fouls could be made in the game, laughing at everyone's antics. The Master shook his head and stood up, about to wander off to his room when he heard River's voice from the kitchen.

"They did nothing wrong, Mal," River was saying to Mal. The Master edged closer to the door and hid off to the side where they couldn't see him. "The Doctor didn't know what would happen and the Master only helped."

"Call them by their names, River," Mal said, crossing his arms. "Smith's not the only doctor onboard and while Master's pa might have given him the name, I am the only master on this boat."

"He's _the_ Doctor," River insisted. "He wouldn't hurt me on purpose. He wouldn't have accepted your help if he'd known of me."

"Yeah, and that's something else that's making me a mite jumpy," Mal replied. "How did they know who we are? We didn't tell them our gorram life story!"

"They're gifted, Mal," River said gently. "Like me. Only different."

"You can see that?" Mal asked. "What else can you see?"

River was silent for a moment. The Master got the distinct impression she was looking at him through the metal wall. "They just travel, Mal. They're not evil."

"Are you telling me the absolute truth?"

"I wouldn't let them stay if they were, Mal," River said. "Don't worry."

"It's my job to worry," Mal said, but a smile was in his voice. "I also have to be concerned, wary, and sometimes down right cautious."

"I understand Mal," River replied as he walked off to the cockpit. The Master heard footsteps and then she was in the doorway, looking straight at him.

"It's impolite to listen to other people's conversations."

"Why, do you think I was eavesdropping?" the Master asked, raising an eyebrow.

River raised on of her own. "Yes."

"That's only because I was."

"Mal is suspicious. You're suspicious," she added before he could say anything. "He might kick you off at Santhos. It's a settled moon. You can get transport to Ita."

"How do you know that's where we're going?" the Master asked, his face neutral.

River shrugged and walked past him. "If you want to get to the nearest Rift and recharge the TARDIS, you'll want to go to Ita."

"You know?" the Master asked, unsurprised as he followed her.

River turned around and looked him in the eye through his glasses. "I saw your past."

"All of it? Now that is impressive," the Master grinned at her, showing all his teeth. "Then why aren't you running, my dear?"

"You're _fahng-tzong fung-kwong duh jeh_." She said. "But not dangerous right now. You will be, though."

"Oh will I?"

River paused, looking at him with piercing eyes. They seemed to see right through him, then she shuddered. "It's dark and cold."

"What did you expect? I'm not the darling Doctor. I'm dangerous, River Tam." The Master leered at her but when she looked up there was no fear in her eyes.

"You're going to die for him, you know," she said.

"I-what?" the Master blinked at her, surprised. "Like I would die for him."

"You'll die for him," she repeated. "Because if you don't he'll kill you."

The Master scowled at her. He didn't need little girls, psychic or not, telling him what he was going to do. "Is that what you think?"

"I do think so. But Master?" she called before she slipped out of the corridor to join the rest of the crew. "You _know _so."

She left him standing alone in the metal hallway wondering what the hell just happened.

---

The Doctor was glad to leave _Serenity_ once they reached Santhos. River Tam and the crew of the _Serenity _were responsible for the change that was coming to the lost Empire. They were involved with more than one fixed point in history and the Doctor really didn't want to be involved, not with a psychic like River.

He paid Captain Reynolds his money and set off to find a ship to get them to another port like Persephone or Ariel. Donna and Jenny had run off with Kaylee for one last shopping trip before they parted ways and the Master was keeping an eye on the TARDIS, a task the Doctor was sure had nothing to do with the bar across from the docking area. It wasn't much work since Reynolds agreed to let them stay in _Serenity_ until it was time for the crew leave or they found another passage. All in all nothing was amiss and if the Doctor noticed an unusually high amount of Alliance patrols, he didn't think anything of it until River appeared out of the crowd and pulled him into an ally.

"River?" he had asked in surprise. The girl looked pale and drawn, her eyes wide and shiny.

"They're coming, Doctor," she replied, her voice catching. "They've found me."

The Doctor nodded in understanding before taking her hand. "No, River, they're not. I'll hide you in my box if I have to but they're not taking you. Understand?"

River nodded and the Doctor cautiously peered out of the alleyway. He tugged on her hand, leading her quietly but urgently through the streets. They had almost made it back to _Serenity_ when a patrol man spotted them.

"There's Tam!" one of the man yelled. "Get the fugitive!"

"Run!" the Doctor cried and they tore away, winding through alleyways and dodging people. More troops followed and getting away seemed more and more impossible. The Doctor pulled them into an alley only to find a dead end blocking any means of escape.

"_Runtse de shang dee, ching dai wuhtzo._" River whimpered, clinging to the Doctor. "_Weoshang mayer, maysheen, byen shr to_."

The Doctor glanced up at the wall behind him and, decision made, turned to River. "River, you need to listen very carefully, can you do that?"

She nodded, eyes wide.

"I am going to lift you up that wall and you need to climb to the other side. Can you do that?" River stared at him.

"But- I need to be caught. Caught and played with and hurt and spurred. The timeline says-"

"Time is in flux, River," the Doctor replied gently. "Nothing has to happen."

He held out his hand and River hesitantly took it as he lifted her to the top of the wall and so she could swing her legs over it.

"What about you?" she called. The Doctor smiled at her.

"I have an ID that should get me out of trouble," he said cheerfully. He pulled out a little wallet and showed it to her. River stared at it, jumping when she heard voices coming closer.

"It's blank!" she protested.

"I'll be fine River," he promised her before his eyes drew together. "But- tell the Master _dui buqi_."

"What?" she asked again, but then there was movement at the opening of the alleyway and he hissed for her to go. She slid down the back wall, landing silently on the other side. She pressed her cheek to the wall, listening.

"Put your hands in the air," the agents yelled and River held her breath as she heard the weapons cock.

"_Ee chee shung hoo shee_," the Doctor replied.

"_Bezui_," one of the men shouted back. "Where is River Tam?"

"Like I'll tell you where the safe house is," the Doctor sneered, baiting them. The men took it and grabbed him, and River held back her sobs and she listened to them drag him away.

She allowed her head to rest against the wall for a moment, her tears smudging the dirt on her forehead. _No_, she though firmly. _We have to act_. She knew who was after her. She knew where to go. She turned down the alley and flew, winding her way through the streets in a way she forgot she had. She could never use her skills to save herself. Only fear for others activated them.

"River!" Simon exclaimed as she burst onto the ship. "Where were you?"

"No time," River gasped, looking around her widely. "Where are the Master and Mal?"

"River?" Jenny asked, frowning as slipped her bag into the TARDIS. "What's wrong?"

River didn't answer as she saw a distant ship fire into atmo. With a sinking feeling, she knew the Doctor was on it. She didn't know what lie he told them, but it worked too well.

"Wave just came through on the Cortex," Mal announced, striding briskly down the stairs. "They know we're here. They've landlocked all ships and put a bulletin out for our little albatrox."

"Where is the Master?" River repeated, looking around urgently. She could see everyone looking at her in concern- only the most important man was gone.

"He's-" Inara began, but a voice cut her off.

"I'm right here." The Master emerged from the TARDIS and glared at her. "What do you want?"

River lowered her eyes. "The Doctor's gone."

"What?" The Master stiffened. "What are you talking about?"

"They took him. He was protecting me and they took him."

The Master surged forward and grabbed her arms. His face darkened as he shook her and River flinched under his rage, the rage of a Time Lord. "Who took him?"

"Stop it!" Simon shouted pushing him away. "Don't you dare touch her!"

"Or what?" The Master snapped. "What are you going to do?"

"You wanna know what we're going to do?" Mal shouted, leveling his gun at the Master. "You come on my ship and threaten my people-"

"Oh, I haven't even begun to threaten your people," the Master replied, rounding on him. "Do you know what I've done to people I _have _threatened? How many people I've killed?"

"_Nee tzao ss-ma? Nee-yow wuh-kai chang_?" Jayne roared, brandishing a large gun at them.

"Oh what, is the big stupid ape going to shoot me?" the Master demanded.

"In my book you don't insult the man holding the gun!" Donna hissed, pulling Jenny away from the melee.

"Mal, don't hurt him," Inara whispered desperately. "He's obviously distressed that the Alliance took his lover, he's not going to hurt us!"

Mal glared at her, incredulous "You want me to risk my crew because some _shiong-mung duh kwong-run _lost his-"

"Quiet!" River screamed and everyone froze. "The Doctor saved me, Mal. We both knew what was going to happen and he went in my place."

"Where is he?" the Master hissed.

River turned her sad eyes to him. "Verbena."

The Master turned away, swearing.

"What's Verbena?" Kaylee asked.

"A planet," River replied slowly. "A planet with an Alliance base."

"We can't just-" Mal began but River laid a hand on his arm.

"You would have," she said. "Eventually. To get me out. To stop the experiments."

"They'll interrogate him," Zoe said quietly. "To find out more about River."

"Not when they find what he is," River replied. "They'll tear him open, see how he works. They'll peel open his brain. And then they'll break him. The Universe cannot survive a broken Doctor. A broken Doctor will end everything."

There was silence in the hold as they all stared at her before Mal spoke. "What is he?"

The Master sniffed. "_We_ are Time Lords."

"Time Lords?" Mal repeated, looking skeptical. "What the kind of gorram name is that?"

"They're not human," Donna finally said. "I mean, I am, but they're not."

"Not human?" Jayne repeated, growling. "I don't know what kind of ruttin' games you're playing but you need to cut it the hell out."

"We're not playing games!" Jenny cried. "We're-"

River didn't hear what she said next because a new thread hit her. The Doctor was right, time was in flux and her kidnapping wasn't a fixed point. It was, however, much better compared to the alternative. River screamed as the new future exploded into her head.

"River?" Simon was at her side in a moment and River realized she had collapsed. She tried to open her mouth, to tell them what she saw but only four words would come out.

She looked up at all of them, terrified. "The Darkness is coming."

**Next Time: Broken Skin **

Translations and notes:

Lao pung yo, nee can chi lai hun yo jing shen- You are looking wonderful, old friend

Wuh duh ma huh tah duh fong kwong duh wai shung- Holy mother of god and all her wacky nephews

Dong ma- understand?

shiao duh- heaven knows what

Go se- crap

Fei hua- Nonsense

Gorram- swear word for the Firefly verse. Sort of like shirt, damn, and the f bomb all rolled into one

fahng-tzong fung-kwong duh jeh- a knot of self indulgent lunacy

Runtse de shang dee, ching dai wuhtzo- Merciful God please take me away

Weoshang mayer, maysheen, byen shr to- I will close my ears and my heart and I will become stone

Duibuqi- I'm sorryEe chee shung hoo shee- Let's take a deep - Shut up Nee tzao ss-MA? Nee-yow wuh-kai chang?- You wanna bullet? You wanna bullet right through your throat?

Shiong-mung duh kwong-run- Violent lunatic

* Dyton is the name of the planet (or moon, it could be either in this Universe) where all people with British accents seem to come from. Seems like England wanted its own little homestead)


	11. Broken Skin

**A/N: I bring fic! First things first, I want to let everyone know that this year on my LJ I'm doing a Christmas gift fic this year. This means that if you want a fic from me for christmas, just leave a comment on the post (It's all explained there) This post does allow anonymous posting, so if you don't have a LJ account you can still get a fic. Just sign your name at the bottom so when I post it, I won't have a million fics that say "For Anonny". Link for the post will be at the end of the fic. I'm nervous about this chapter, I'll admit! Beta'd by qaffian_luvr**

**Review Responses:**

**Bad Werewolf: Mal is one of my all time favourite characters in Sci Fi, so I'm glad I carried him off well. As for the River Song/River Tam thing... well, you'll see! (Re: Chinese- Yeah, I scaled back for this chapter!) **

**The Winged Lion of Coruscant: D'aww, thanks! I hope staying up till 3 didn't get you more sick, though, cause I'd hate to be the cause of that! **

**Warnings: Vivisection, disturbing imagery, femslash, violence. **

Somewhere, Rose Tyler was staring up at the skies in horror. She stood on top of the Torchwood base with Sheila, their tough-as-nails team leader, and Hugh, their residential tech genius. He also unofficially doubled as their doctor, but no one talked about that.

"The stars are going out," Sheila said, breaking the silence. "Like we don't have enough shit to deal with."

"What's causing it?" Rose asked Hugh, who only shrugged.

"Buggered if I know. The equipment says the stars aren't there anymore. I can only read dust."

"We need to get you through," Sheila decided, squaring her jar. "We are going to get you back to your universe so you can find your Doctor."

"Will it work?" Rose asked. Sheila turned and stared at her newest recruit.

"We don't really have any other choice. Are you ready to save the world?"

"Yes." Rose Tyler squared her shoulders and thought of the man in the little blue box. Wherever he was, she hoped he was safe.

--

Wherever he was, the Doctor decided, he wasn't safe. He didn't regret any of his actions, knowing what they meant for River. He had known what would've happened to her and when he had seen the raw terror in her eyes, the Doctor knew that she did too. He had sort-of planned on Donna and Jenny bullying the Master into going to Ita and charging the TARDIS up by themselves, so they could rescue him, but things didn't hadn't gone the way he had expected.

He had been placed before the soldiers' leader, a man who had looked positively livid that River Tam had slipped through his fingers. But before the man could order his interrogation (Or torture, for that matter. The Doctor knew how these things worked) he'd received a message and the Doctor had found himself being shuttled onto a ship.

Now, two days later, he was still under constant watch, which had left him unable to escape before being once again whisked off the ship. This time, he got a glimpse of children playing in a park and mothers looking at him in distaste before he was escorted into an imposing sort of building, taken down seven stories in an elevator, and deposited into a chair.

The Doctor straightened up, glancing at his surroundings. The room he was in was completely white, save for the two blue chairs and the window looking out on the park. He was seated at the end of a long white table with the other tall blue chair at the far end of it. The door opened and a man strode in, followed by guards and two assistants.

"The Doctor, I presume?" the man asked, settling into the chair across from the Doctor.

"Oh yes," the Doctor replied, eyeing the man. "And you are?"

"Agent 17," the man replied with a cordial smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Why do agents always have numbers instead of actual names?" the Doctor asked conversationally, leaning back in his chair.

"Ah, that's right," the man replied, holding his hand up. One of his assistants quickly placed a file in his palm and Agent 17 flipped through it. "You've met Agent 35, haven't you?"

"Not recently."

"In the past seven years?"

"Well," the Doctor waved the question away. "That really depends on how you want to measure time."

The man slid a picture across the table. The Doctor glanced at it.

"Do you recognize the two people in the photograph?" the agent asked. It was a security pictire of the Doctor letting Annabelle Lee and Gareth out of the TARDIS on Londinium.

"The Companions you tried to kill?" the Doctor asked, eyes beginning to lose their friendly guise.

"The Companions who would have told the Federation about Agent 35's work. We have research to protect here, Doctor."

"Ah yes, your research." The corners of the Doctor's mouths tightened. "I've seen some of it and what it involves. Can't say I approve."

"Referring to River Tam, no doubt."

"The young girl whose mind you stripped apart? Yeah, that's not research. It's scientific cannibalism."

"We do what our government asks us to do," Agent 17 replied calmly. "If sacrificing one girl's life can save everyone then yes, we will research on human subjects."

"Really? What have you learned from your research that could everyone in the universe? What are you saving them from?"

"People like you," Agent 17 said, looking through the file again. "Your fingerprints say you don't exist. You have a ship that can disappear from midair."

"And I'm a threat for that," the Doctor finished, his glare sharpening. "Are you telling me that my crime is existing?"

"We have tried to recreate such models," Agent 17 explained. "Of course, we did not know where to start. Our last attempt proved fatal."

"Tinkering around with revolutionary new designs does tend to end in explosions."

"Oh, there were no explosions." Agent 17 held out his hand and another assistant placed another file on it. He opened the folder and slid it across the table for the Doctor to read.

The Doctor scanned the page. "…emanated a pulse that stole energy and rendered all structures in its path powerless. At least two ships were caught in the pulse, resulting in instant power failure and at least…"

"You can see why we're eager to find the schematics from you rather than continue our work."

"Twenty seven deaths." The Doctor stared at the page, triple checking the coordinates. It had hit right where the TARDIS had been traveling through before it lost power.

"No one important, at least one of the ships was involved in the… lower aspects of our Confederation."

"Every life is important," the Doctor hissed before dropping the file back on the table. "Anyway, you're out of luck. That beam hit my ship. I don't have any power either."

"It's fairly easy to restore power, Doctor," Agent 17 replied, his eyes gleaming.

"If it was, do you really think I'd still be here?"

"I think you'll tell us about that ship of yours. I think-"

The door swung open and a hurried looking technician handed a paper to Agent 17. The man read it before he startled slightly. He reread it and turned an amazed look at the Doctor.

"You've got two hearts," he breathed, causing the guards and his assistants to snap to attention. "You're not human."

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "From what I've seen of your sympathy and decency neither are you."

"An alien," Agent 17 repeated before grinning. "But this is wonderful!"

"Sir?" one of the assistants asked nervously.

"Kim, get permission from central for vivisection. Rush it through. Jenson, prepare the labs," Agent 17 ordered, standing up and collecting his files happily.

The Doctor also stood, the fire in his eyes causing the guards to cock their guns.

"We just debated," the Doctor growled, his teeth bared. "We had a conversation and now you're going to cut me open and see how I work?"

"You make it sound like an autopsy, Doctor," the agent replied. "You'll still be alive when we're done. I wouldn't want to lose a specimen."

"I don't give people second chances. You do this and I will stop you."

"Will you?" Agent 17 asked in amusement. "Will this be before or after you're on the operating table?"

"That's your decision then?" the Doctor asked, his eyes narrowing.

Agent 17 only smiled indulgently at him before motioning the guards forward. "Take him to Laboratory Five."

"Yes sir," the men said, surrounding the Doctor in an instant. The Doctor ignored them, his eyes darting around the room, looking for a way out.

"Oh, and Doctor?" Agent 17 called cheerfully after him. "Tell our technicians about any allergies you might have. We wouldn't want our mild sedatives to kill you!"

"_Mild_ sedatives?" the Doctor repeated incredulously. "You want me conscious?"

"Of course," the agent replied. "How else are we to know how you deal with pain?"

"This is-" the Doctor began again, but the guards hauled him out before he could say another word. He tried to escape. He twisted his arms to break their grip, he kept an eye out for possible distractions. There were none.

The Doctor found himself stripped and on a table as people in lab coats and goggles asked him questions and measured his vitals. He tried to reason with them, because most humans were decent people, really. These scientists only looked at him blankly and repeated their questions. Then, something was injected in his neck and the Doctor mentally measured the amount, calculating as the sedative was dispensed throughout his body. It wasn't enough to numb the pain.

The first scalpel descended, then another, as a million things were occurring in the Universe at once.

Agent 17 was calmly taking notes from the observation deck above the lab.

Somewhere, Malcolm Reynolds was having a meeting with his crew.

In another dimension Rose Tyler was babysitting her baby brother while Jackie and Pete went out to dinner.

The Master was pacing inside the TARDIS, trying to think of a plan.

Four stories above the laboratory, a secretary was surprised by flowers from her husband.

The Doctor was screaming.

River Tam curled into a ball and felt all of time, slowing to a crawl around her. The threads throughout the universe grew taught and began to quiver. She didn't know if they would snap.

The Doctor struggled against the bonds. He had been aged unnaturally, he had been shot and stabbed and electrocuted. He had never had people inside him like this, cutting his skin open and peeling it back so they could poke at the organs underneath. He threw his head back and his eyes opened, staring upside down at Agent 17 on the observation deck.

The last thing the Doctor remembered before his own body swallowed him whole was the small smile on the agent's face.

---

This was the first time Jenny had seen Donna angry. Not her usual Doctor-you're-being-particularly-senseless or Master-stop-being-a-bloody-bastard mad, but an actual rage. Jayne had suggested that they'd not go and risk their necks for some _hwoon dahn_ they didn't really know. Donna had gone pale with fury and within seconds Jayne was reaching for one of his guns.

"Jayne, I don't wanna see your hand touch metal," Mal warned, watching the mercenary closely.

"Gorram woman doesn't know her ruttin' place," Jayne replied, causing Donna's eyes to practically glow with anger and a loud smack rang out through the kitchen. Zoe and Mal were up in a second, but a table was between them and Jayne as he grabbed his giant knife. He brought his arm up, but never had the chance to swing it down as Jenny barreled into him. He grunted and tried to swipe at her, but she jammed her fist into his face and kicked his legs out from under him. As he fell, she wrestled the knife from him and put the blade at his throat. He tried to push her off but she kneed him in the gut and pressed the knife into his skin.

"Settle down," she hissed, her Messaline soldier instincts roaring in her ears. "I'll let you up when you're calm."

"I don't have to listen to you!" Jayne roared as Jenny's eyes narrowed.

"Actually," Mal's voice drifted from directly above them. "She's holdin' a knife at your neck and looks mighty comfortable with it. I think you might want to."

"Get off him, please," Zoe's voice said tightly, but Jenny could tell that the gun in the other woman's hand wasn't aimed at her.

"Certainly," she said and stood up, keeping the knife. She dropped it onto the counter, far out of his reach as Mal settled him back in the chair with a few choice words.

"Jenny!" Donna cried, making sure she was unharmed. "Don't do that again, you nearly scared me to death!"

"I wouldn't get hurt, Donna," Jenny assured her, giving up a tiny smile. Zoe turned to look at her, her dark eyes curious.

"Where did you learn to do that?" the woman asked, sizing her up. "Most men three times your size can't take Jayne down."

Jenny shrugged. "There was a war where I come from. The Doctor saved me."

"So you're not his niece, you're a soldier."

"No. I'm his daughter." Seeing all the surprised looks in the room Jenny hurried to continue. "I mean, he's older than he looks and I'm really quite young, but I'm still his daughter. I was raised out of his DNA and, well, given military training. We had a war to fight. He saved me and ended the war."

"That's what he does," Donna added, turning to Mal. "The Doctor travels around and stops wars and saves people."

"Really?" Mal's face darkened. "Then where was he during the War of Independence? Why didn't he stop us massacring each other?"

"Fixed event in time," the Master's voice said from the doorway. "We're time travelers. Last of our entire race. There are rules even he won't break, because he can't."

"What's to stop him?" Mal demanded.

The Master shrugged. "With a fixed point? The universe eating everything infected so it can cleanse the wound. When time is in flux? Usually nothing. He meddles far too much with humans. Rather annoying, really. It's amazing I haven't killed him myself."

"I thought…" Kaylee began, stammering as the Master looked at her, feeling the weight of his stare from behind his glasses. "I thought you loved him!"

"I'm not going to explain anything to you," the Master sneered before his face sobered. "The fact remains. They took what didn't belong to them and I want him back."

"You expect us to storm an Alliance base?" Mal asked, laughing. "I'm a lot of things but I'm not suicidal. Well, maybe when the situation demands it, but not for someone who's not my crew."

"You wouldn't exist without him," Donna said. "I wouldn't either. I'd be eaten by spiders or, hell, I'd probably be popping out fat babies."

"Spiders?" Simon asked, confused.

"Long story," Donna said with a sigh, shaking her head. "But I still know that if the Doctor dies, it'll be safe to say that the entire human race is doomed."

"Taking a prisoner out from under their nose would make the Alliance look rather foolish, sir," Zoe pointed out.

"We can't just stroll into Verbena. There aren't usually strange people walking onto a base armed to the teeth. They'd shoot us on sight." Mal pointed out.

Inara slowly shook her head. "Not unless we're disguised."

"As?"

"There's a gala tomorrow night. I was contacted by a few clients who wished to know if I would accompany them. I've declined of course, but… that could be our way in."

"They know our faces," Mal said.

"Not ours," Jenny said suddenly. "This is the first time I've ever been in this area."

"Mine as well," the Master admitted. "It'd be easy enough to smuggle a few weapons in on our persons, while the rest of you posed as staff."

"These kind of shindigs have weapon screenings," Mal pointed out. "It'd tag any weapon we could give you."

"Not if I use this," the Master replied, holding up his laser screwdriver. "It can disable the system."

"You sure?"

Jenny grinned. "He got the land lock off the ship, didn't he?"

"Only the people who get into the party are guaranteed a way in," Zoe suddenly said, looking up from her chair. "I don't think only two of you will cut it."

"I'm going too," a small voice said from one corner of the couch. They all glanced at River, still curled up in a ball. She didn't raise her head to look at them and she sounded pained.

"River…" Simon began, and she finally raised her head.

"They took him instead of me, Simon. He knew and he protected me. I can fight. I'm going,"

"But your face-" Simon began, but Inara gently placed a hand on his arm.

"I have dresses with veils that will fit her. No one will think anything of it."

"A man strolls in with two young girls and nobody finds anything the least bit suspicious?" Mal demanded. "Are all the rich _hwun dan_ that dumb or just the ones that throw parties?"

"Companions often wear veils with men who don't want others looking," Inara explained. "Jenny looks enough like Master to pass as his niece. She's of debutante age, it wouldn't be at all out of place."

"And I suppose you two would have experience with weaponry?" Mal asked with a sigh, turning to the Master and Jenny.

"Oh yes," the Master replied with a wide grin. "Only let's not tell the Doctor. He gets snippy when I kill things."

"Think we can get in through the service way?" Zoe asked Inara.

"Certainly enough to get you to the kitchens."

"You can't just land Serenity, though," Donna pointed out. "If they knew River was going to be on Santho and landlocked us they must have recognized us."

"Take the shuttles," Kaylee suggested. "It'll look like you're just coming from one of her moons or somethin' and nothin' at all like a rescue mission."

"Well, looks like we have got ourselves a party," Mal said, sitting down in a chair. "Inara, we have a couple of girls we need to get respectable."

--

"I don't like this," Simon said again as he paced Inara's shuttle.

River frowned at her brother. "I'll be fine Simon. I don't need constant guarding."

"River, they were going to kidnap you and now you're just waltzing back in!"

"They have no interest in me right now," River said quietly. "They have the Doctor."

Simon said nothing and Inara took the opportunity to fasten a gilded veil across River's face. She stepped back, looking at Jenny and River critically, fixing every little wrinkle in their dresses.

"Think it'll work?" Kaylee asked as Inara motioned for them to walk across her small shuttle. They stepped down off their stools delicately, lightly crossing the room like Inara taught them.

"Quick learners," Inara said, giving them one of her indecipherable looks as she sized them up, before smiling.

"We have another day," River said, gathering her skirt and twirling experimentally. It looked natural as she did it, and Jenny was soon following suit as Inara taught them a few dances. Simon watched from the corner with a permanent frown on his face as Kaylee tried to convince him that River would be fine and they'd save the Doctor just like they'd promised.

The Master was holed up somewhere and Jenny was fairly certain that Donna was with him. They both knew how dark the Master got when he was allowed to brood and that was the last thing the Doctor needed to come back to.

When Inara allowed them to take a break, so River could have a few stern words with her brother, Jenny took the opportunity to sit in the cockpit and stare out the glass at the space surrounding them. The Doctor had promised to take them to all those places. She frowned and hugged her knees to her chest, resting her chin on the rich fabric of Inara's dress.

"Jenny?"

Jenny turned to see River stepping into the cockpit, watching her with concern. "Just looking out while we rest."

The corners of River's mouth twitched. "Mal just sent Inara to read the Master. Do you think she'll like what she sees?"

"I don't know," Jenny answered truthfully, sliding over so River could sit on the step next to her.

"I mean, I've only known him for a week. He saved my life so I trust him but… well, the Doctor can get a bit antsy around him sometimes. Whenever the Master gets irritated the Doctor stops whatever he's doing to calm him down. Like he expects him to do something."

"Are you afraid of him?"

"Not yet."

River nodded, seemingly satisfied. "You're all scary. Things you've seen, things you will do."

"You're scared of me?" Jenny asked, shocked.

"No, not of you. Of what you can do. Of your potential." River waved her hand in front of her, gesturing at the air. "I can see threads. But I only know when someone makes a decision. But the threads remain. Different realities. Different outcomes. In the end, different people. I can sometimes hear what people think. I hear what they don't even know they want."

"Oh," Jenny said quietly. "Must be rough."

"Sometimes. Sometimes its not."

"Why is it good sometimes?" she asked, turning her head to look at River. River looked back, her eyes seeming to memorize Jenny's face. She lowered her eyes and leaned forward, brushing her lips softly against Jenny's.

River pulled back, her cheeks flushed and her eyes excited and nervous. "I knew you wouldn't mind that."

Jenny stared back at her before smiling warmly and leaning in herself.

"Yeah," she murmured against River's lips. "But we should test that theory."

-----

The Master had a headache. The drums were pounding in his head and they weren't due to arrive on Verbena for another thirteen hours. Captain Reynolds had sent the Companion after him, probably thinking that with her training she could understand his motives. The Master, realizing her intentions thirty seconds into the conversation, had spent an hour dancing around her. It was a pity she had realized it and put an end to his fun.

The Master quietly slipped out of his rooms, carefully making sure none of the women had heard him. The last thing he wanted was Donna waking up and trying to have what she no doubt thought was a warming heart-to-heart, when really all the Master was thinking about was strangling her.

He pulled Donna's TARDIS key out of his pocket. He had pinched it earlier, although he didn't know how long he had until she noticed. The Master was surprised to find that the door was already unlocked and pushed it open to find River curled up on the little white seat, staring at the control panel.

"How did you get in here?" the Master demanded.

River shrugged. "She likes me."

"You'd need a key."

"I snapped," River replied, slowly unfurling her legs so she could stand. "But I'm staying here. It's silent."

"It's _never_ silent," the Master muttered.

"Here I can't hear thoughts or dreams. I just exist. I don't think about what happened." River turned away from him.

"Time was in flux. The Doctor was just being his usual idiotic noble self. It'll be fine." The Master idly fiddled with the TARDIS's unresponsive controls.

"Then why are you terrified?" River asked.

"I'm not," the Master snapped. "I just don't like people touching what's mine."

River understood that more than she'd like to. She'd seen into his head. She knew. And she was sorry. River could not remember why she had sought out the Doctor when the first Alliance patrol spotted her. She had known what was supposed to happen, what it would mean. But the though of being experimented on again, allowed the panic to blind her.

She had seen herself strapped to a chair as they tried to force their way into her head, into her mind. She had seen herself fighting, trying to escape, being locked in a tiny black box. She had seen her crew rescuing her after two years of horror.

But the new images she now saw were so much worse. She could see the Doctor cut open, head thrown back as he screamed. She saw him curled up in on a tiny bed, clutching his head as he whimpered. She could see him standing calmly in the wreckage of Verbena with blood covering his clothes and teeth bared in a feral smile. This new future brought the end of everything. Hands and screams were reaching for her out of the darkness as the Universe was swallowed whole.

River realized she had been speaking out loud as the Master turned to look at her.

"He's not that powerful."

"Isn't he?" River asked. "That's why it wants him, you know."

"They want him because he's an alien. They know nothing of-"

"Not the Alliance," River interrupted. "I know you've always hated him for it. That's why you can't forgive him."

The Master sneered. "Forgiveness is such a quaint little human concept. Very well, I don't _forgive_ him for abandoning me. I could care less about who thinks he's powerful."

River stared at him, an idea suddenly occurring to her. "You don't remember."

"Remember what?" the Master snapped. River blinked, her mouth dropping open.

"But you don't- you honestly don't remember. And you hate him because…" River trailed off, thinking of the flashes she saw from the Doctor's mind. "Neither of you know."

"Know what?" the Master demanded.

River shook her head. "If you've forgotten there's a reason. It defined you."

"River," the Master began, his voice low. "I am not having a very good day. I have been whispered about and shouted at. Tiny humans have taken something of mine and are playing with it. I have a headache and now you won't tell me what I want to know. I'm loosing my patience."

River's eyes could be unnaturally dark on her pale face. She studied him before she spoke.

"You'll remember when you need to. I won't tell you, Master. Deep down you already know it yourself. You're hiding from it. You always have been."

"Why?" the Master snarled.

"Because you loved him once," River replied before she turned and wandered up the ramp, traveling through the TARDIS's rooms. The Master let her go. He sat on the edge of the grating and put his heads in his hands.

The drums never stopped.

----

"You take care of this gun," Jayne told Jenny. "This is one of my best guns. It's dependable and light. Don't go leavin' her behind."

"The way you're carrying on, you'd think you were giving her Vera," Mal said as he strolled into the hold.

"There ain't no ruttin' way I'm givin' Vera to anyone," Jayne snapped. Jenny bent over so she could strap the extra weapon to her ankle and smoothed out her dress over it. She stood up, carefully checking all angles before she turned to Inara.

"Can you see any of them?" she asked. The Companion circled her, keeping a careful eye out for any bumps or imperfections.

"None," Inara finally approved. River was getting ready in a similar fashion while Simon hovered over her, briefly closing his eyes and swallowing his protests as each gun was hidden somewhere under her skirts. The Master stood in the hold, wearing a suit River had retrieved from the TARDIS closet. He only had his laser screwdriver into his coat pocket. He might have slipped an extra one into the breast pocket as well.

"Master, you take River and Jenny down in Inara's shuttle," Mal said once they were ready. "Zoe, Jayne and I will use the extra."

"I'm going too," Donna protested, but the Master shook his head. "If anything goes wrong you are to go into the TARDIS and press the blue button once you've taken her to Ita. It'll take you home."

"We need the rest of you on _Serenity _to keep it running if anything goes wrong," Mal added before turning to Simon and Kaylee. "If we don't come back, _Serenity _belongs to you. I know you'll keep her floatin'."

"Mal," Inara said, drawing him away from the crowd. "Do you really trust the Master?"

"No," Mal admitted. "But I trust River. With my life. She's calling the shots."

"Be safe," Inara murmured. Mal nodded and ignored any feelings the woman might have conjured up in him. This time, he knew she wasn't trying to use her wiles.

---

The plan went smooth. No one questioned "Lord Saxon and Guests". The Master choose his name for that very reason. River's eyes were clear from underneath her veil as they walked around the room. She knew people's names, he knew a few historic figures, and Jenny played the part of a debutante well. They stayed for an hour, dancing, before Jenny slipped away. River and the Master followed soon after.

"Ready?" Jenny asked as they shimmied out of their dresses, folding them into a small sack that River had rapped around her waist.

"Move," the Master ordered. Jenny reached for her gun and held it, staring at it.

"What if I shoot someone?" she whispered, remembering how it felt. She hated killing.

"You wonder about this now?" the Master hissed, irritated. River frowned at him.

"There are options," she reminded him. The Master glared at her before he reached into his pocket and pulled out the spare laser screwdriver.

"It'll stun them. But if you break that or it gets shot, it's back to guns," the Master warned her before he started down the corridor. Jenny bit back a small smile as she followed him. They carefully made their way through white corridors until they found the door they were looking for and allowed Mal, Zoe, and Jayne inside.

"Radios," Mal said, quickly handing over the small parcels. They slipped the devices into place behind their ears and went their separate ways. Mal lead Zoe and Jayne down the left hallway while Jenny followed the Master and River down the right one. The halls were eerily clear of guards. The Master only took down five with his screwdriver. Jenny didn't check to see whether or not he was using the stun setting. She was sure she didn't want to know.

"Where is everyone?" Jenny whispered.

River didn't answer, she couldn't. There was no way to tell her that everyone had unknowingly fled. Every single guard and scientist had found a reason not to be here. The weight of the Universe was suffocating, even humans could sense it although they did not know what it was or what it meant. River suspected it always pressed closer whenever the Doctor's life was truly threatened. His threads ran across the Universe, holding it together. If they were to snap and disintegrate, the Universe might float away from itself. River could feel, now, why the Doctor always seemed weary. The Universe was too large to rest on a single person's shoulders.

They came to a split level, white stairs going up on one side, more hallway on the other.

"Perfect," the Master snapped, his eyes darting between their two choices. River blinked and listened before making her decision.

"That way," she said, pointing towards the stairs. The Master shot off, too determined in his purpose to see River holding Jenny back.

"Why aren't we following him?" Jenny asked as she looked back at River with confusion in her eyes.

River grabbed the laser screwdriver from her hands and studied it, before aiming it at one of the doors ahead of them. "I lied. The Doctor is in there."

"But why lie?"

"Because," River's mouth set into a grim little line as she used the laser to undo the door's lock. "I cannot hear if there are any lab aids still in there. It would not matter what their function was, if they were the ones who captured the Doctor or if they even approved of what was done to him. He would kill them on sight, just for being there. It would be best for the Doctor not to wake up covered in blood."

"But the laser is bloodless!" Jenny replied.

River shook her head. "Not right now. He's too angry. He wants revenge."

Jenny frowned but followed River into the room before they stopped, blinking to adjust to their sudden bright, sterile surroundings. When they could see again, they gasped. The room was enormous, every possible wall covered in white machinery, each one clearer medical or scientific in nature. In the center sat a long chair, stretched out so it was more akin to a table, thick black straps striking in the white room as they hold the body on the flat surface in place. The Doctor didn't seem to be moving and for one brief, irrational second River swallowed panic. Then she saw his chest rise and fall as he breathed and she sternly reminded herself that if the Doctor was dead she would've felt it long ago.

"He's…" Jenny began but trailed off. River understood exactly what she meant as she stepped closer. The Doctor's face seemed alien without his usual energy behind it. There were dark circles underneath his eyes and he simply looked old. His body was another thing; a long red line ran down his abdomen, with another, shorter one crossing it perpendicularly at each end. He had been cut open here, and River could still see the angry red skin. He would not scar, technology assured that, but the cuts would remain until they healed.

"Doctor?" Jenny asked quietly. He did not wake up and the air remained heavy around them.

"He can't hear us. He's hiding somewhere inside," River told her, circling around him. "But he must have learned from the first time they tried."

River paused and Jenny asked, "What?"

"Put your fingertips to his temples and give him a nudge," River finally decided. "If there are other Time Lords then he'll know it's safe."

"But I'm not ready for that!" Jenny protested.

River's eyes locked on hers, soft and encouraging. "You're ready for anything."

Jenny bit her lip nervously but nodded and placed her fingertips on the Doctor's temples. She closed her eyes and breathed slowly. River watched her face tighten with concentration. A long moment passed before the Doctor's eyes blinked open and he stared glassily at them.

"What?" he asked faintly.

Jenny removed her fingers and smiled in relief. "Hey, Dad."

The Doctor's eyes cleared and he looked around him before weakly pushing at his bonds.

"Can you-?" he asked as River returned the screwdriver to Jenny who quickly went to work. Task done, she retrieved the Doctor's clothes from a nearby table, where they had been tagged and spread out to be inspected. She helped him stand, frowning at where the bonds had irritated the Doctor's skin.

River ignored them. She stood near the head of the operating table, eyes locked on the observation room above them. The Master stood behind the glass, watching them. River could not see his eyes behind his dark lenses, but she could feel their heavy weight.

Suddenly the door opened behind him and River tensed as a man entered the observatory. She had seen his face in her visions of the Doctor, knew who he was. The man called out to the Master, who only ignored him. The man followed his gaze and saw them.

"What are they doing in my laboratory?" the man's lips read. River watched as the Master stiffened and finally turned to look at the man.

"Your laboratory?"

"My laboratory, my specimens. How the hell did you get in here?" River winced as his lips formed those fatal words. The Master glanced back at her before reaching out to the controls and flicking a switch. A screen descended upon the windows, blocking the observation room from view. River did not miss the first blood splatter across the glass the second before they closed. She turned around slowly and saw Jenny checking all of the tables to find the Doctor's confiscated sonic screwdriver. The Doctor was leaning against another table, face pale as he watched the observation deck. His eyes dropped to hers and he said nothing, but River understood what he wanted. They quietly waited for Jenny to find the screwdriver and River touched her mouthpiece to inform Mal that they were making their way to the shuttles.

They opened the door as the Master stepped lightly down the stairs. Taking the Doctor from between them, he lifted the him into his arms. The Doctor only tipped his head so their eyes met. River shut out their mental conversation before the Doctor sighed and rested his head on the Master's shoulder as the Master began to carry him down the hall. Jenny and River followed silently. Jenny never noticed the tiny droplets of blood sprayed across the Master's white shirt, and the Doctor and River didn't mention it.

----------

Mal piloted Inara's shuttle back to _Serenity_. River and Jenny traveled with Zoe and Jayne because River couldn't stand to be near the Time Lords any longer. The little piece of himself that the Master had left behind to block out the Doctor, allowed River to hear his own thoughts as he was far too concerned with the Doctor to care about what she would pick up. The Master's thoughts were terrifying, all of them dark and twisted. His bitterness, his anger, his love that had turned into hatred were all focused upon the Doctor. And she knew just as well as they did that the Doctor's thoughts were not centered in the same way on the Master.

They landed in time to see Simon ducking into Inara's shuttle, medical bag firmly in place. Donna was scowling on the railing, no doubt barred from being inside.

When Simon finally left, he sighed and ran a nervous hand through his hair.

"Vivisection," he finally announced.

Mal winced as Inara and Donna gasped. Jayne's head appeared from underneath them, where he had been pretending to lift weights as he eavesdropped.

"Vivi what-tion?" he asked, squinting in confusion.

"An autopsy while the person is still livin'," Mal told him shortly turning back to Simon. "How is he?"

"He'll make a full recovery. I wish I could put him in the infirmary but I think the… medical feel might be the wrong atmosphere."

"He can stay in my shuttle," Inara quickly promised. "He shouldn't move unless he wants to and I do have the most comfortable bed."

"Is he talking much?" Donna asked, eyeing the door.

Simon hesitated before he replied. "He is not saying many words aloud but… he can't take his eyes off the Master."

"Yeah," Donna sighed. "Least he's got his priorities straight."

---

Inara slept in River's room because River did not trust herself to sleep alone. She didn't want to sleep but the ache was too deep. She curled up along side Jenny and trusted that her warmth would be enough to dispel any nightmares. She awoke hours later, blinking as she heard the crew move through the ship. She sighed and turned to look at Jenny who was still asleep, a serene smile on her face. River thought and felt nothing- no voices in her head but her own. She smiled herself and wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and she surrounded herself in Jenny's scent. After hours of dark silence, Jenny drew her to the console room and they sat on the steps, watching the stars until breakfast called to them.

Mal thought he was a good captain. He fought the odds for his crew, he kept his boat in the air, and he didn't go mucking about in other people's business. So when he headed to the cockpit to see if River was setting the coordinates for Ita and found Jenny and River being… Jenny and River, he just turned around and went the way he came. He also made a mental note about having someone talk to Simon about the possibility of River growing up. Preferably he wouldn't have to do it himself; it would end with Simon immediately assuming the worse of him and punching him in the jaw and then he'd have to punch Simon right back because of manly honor, which would end in River staring at them both in disapproval, making Simon think the wrong thing again before the whole discussion devolved into a shouting match and Zoe sent them to their corners while Kaylee explained to the doctor just what Mal was trying to say about his little sister.

Because he was such a good captain he didn't make any comment while the girls trailed past him as he made tea. Of course, River looked at him and raised her eyebrows in amusement, but he was long used to River being one step ahead of him.

"We'll arrive in one day," she told him. "The sooner the Doctor can leave the better. He can't heal by staying in one place."

And Mal knew she was right, everyone did. The Doctor joined them for dinner, the circles under his eyes lessening and he acted like nothing had happen. They had all cast him curious looks, but they never asked. Only the Master remained silent.

Donna hadn't seen them speak and never heard them talk after they returned to their shared cabin. One time, the door had been ajar and she had peeked in to see them laying on the bed, facing each other. They didn't say anything. Donna had shaken her head, muttered something about Time Lords, and continued on. The ship remained silent and tense until they finally arrived on Ita and everyone silently rejoiced as the dawn of normalcy was upon them.

"Yup," the Doctor said the moment they landed on Ita. "There is a rift here. Right here, in fact. Good thing you didn't land a few hundred meters to the north."

"I am good," River reminded him. The Doctor grinned as Zoe drove the cart down, and watched as they unloaded the TARDIS where they were instructed.

"Guess this is good bye," Donna said after chucking her bags through the TARDIS door. "I want to thank you all. For everything!"

Jenny gave River one last kiss, drawing back in surprise as River pressed a wrapped package into her hands.

"What's this?"

"You'll need this, one day," River told her softly, twining her fingers through Jenny's and squeezing before watching her disappear behind the blue TARDIS doors. She pointedly ignored the crew's raised eyebrows at their goodbye.

"We'll be off, then," the Doctor said, fondly stroking the TARDIS's corner. The Master stood behind him, silent as ever. "_Serenity_ was fantastic but I have a ship of my own to get back to."

"Good to have you on my boat, Doctor." Mal shook his hand and nodded sharply, a captain's good bye.

"You need to be careful," River told them as the Master reached for the door handle. "Your troubles aren't over yet."

"What do you mean?" the Doctor asked. He was too tired to frown, too experienced to ignore her.

"The Darkness is coming, Doctor," River warned, her dark eyes ominous. "It's coming for you."

"The Darkness?" the Doctor repeated slowly. He had heard that before.

"The Darkness. The terrible, terrible cold." And now the Master's attention was on her because he had heard those words before, spoken from his spherical children as they fled from the end of the Universe. The Doctor nodded slowly and stepped into the TARDIS, leaving only the Master behind.

He placed his fingertips on River's temples and they both closed their eyes as the Master retrieved what he had left behind. Before he could completely withdraw, River grabbed him and held him, telling him her silent message.

_You know what I am talking about_.

_No_, came the Master's irritated reply. _No I do not._

_Only because you choose to ignore it. But I've seen, I know. The Darkness will find you. It will consume you, Master._

_I thought it wanted the Doctor_. Now he was bitter, and River sadly shook her head.

_It wants both of the lonely gods. You're the last ones. You stand in the way of a destroyed Universe. _

The Master sharply withdrew, leaving River gasping back pain.

He glared at her before he said very quietly, "I stand in the way of nothing."

He retreated into the TARDIS and River placed her palm on the closed door, saying goodbye to her before she dematerialized, fading from their lives. She stood, watching where it once was and sighed as the Universe's pressure shifted, following the travelers to their next destination. She led the crew back onto _Serenity_ and they left for the black once more.

---

The ship was silent as River gracefully stepped through it, reverently touching the metal walls as if she was communicating with it. She came into the kitchen to find her captain sitting at the wooden table, staring into a lukewarm mug of tea.

"The ship is asleep," she announced, sliding into the chair across from him. "Except for you."

"And you," Mal reminded her, giving up a small smile.

"I never sleep. Nightmares," River replied, running her finger along the grain in the table. The dark lines stretched across the surface, curving along other grains to meet at a certain point.

"Something wrong?" he asked, frowning in concern. She never told him what the Doctor and the Master made her see, and he was worried about her.

"I can exist without foretelling disaster," she replied, rolling her eyes.

"River," he protested. "When you spout off like this, it's hard to tell if you're looking ahead or simply rambling about whatever floats through your head. Don't know when to listen."

"You do listen," the girl replied, frowning. "You listen to everything _Serenity_ says. You listen to the black. It'd drive most people insane."

"Yeah, well," Mal shrugged and looked into his tea again. "Short trip."

"Not true insanity." River murmured, staring at the wood grain again. "You see things too irrationally to be insane."

"Irrationally?"

"Insanity has it's own order, everything is catalogued. Right and Wrong, nothing in between. Only extremes, always the wrong answer." River looked up again. "The clearer my head gets the more foggy the world is.

"And… that's good?" Mal ventured.

A grin spread across her face, making her eyes light up. "Very."

"Can you fly through the fog?" Mal asked cautiously, knowing how important being pilot was to River but not wanting to risk _Serenity_.

"It's not a problem with the eyes, Mal," River replied, her tone like she was explaining something to a small child. "Mine are clearer then yours,"

"I live by my eyesight, girl. Not a challenge you should be issuing," Mal said, but he was smiling. "Now, about Jenny…"

"I'm not lovesick, Mal," River assured him, rolling her eyes. "She's got time and space in her blood. Jenny has to fly farther then _Serenity_ could take her. She's a part of her father. The Universe needs her."

"Do you often go about kissing pretty girls?" Mal asked, amused.

"I kissed a star. Two points in the Universe. I'm a fixed point, Mal. Everyone here is."

"Fixed point," Mal repeated, remembering the Master's words. "What do we do that defines the Universe?"

River laughed, her eyes clearer then Mal had ever seen her. "We fly."

**Next Time: Silence in the Library **

**Link to XMas fic post: It's diciple-of-time dot livejournal dot com/12743 dot html**

**(With actual . instead of "dot", of course)**


	12. Silence in the Library

**A/N: Much shorter chapter this time round, but thems the breaks. Exams are killing me dead, so I'll keep this brief! **

**Review Responses**

**The Winged Lion of Coruscant: Thank you so much!**

**Miss Jones: Oh, all will be revealed!**

When the Doctor opened his eyes he was alone. He didn't move for a moment, he just blinked at his surroundings, absorbing the sound of the TARDIS all around him. His fingers moved over sheets and blankets, his sheets and blankets. He was in his own bed, his own room. He was alone.

The Master was never there in the morning.

The Doctor rolled out of bed, wincing a bit as he did so. His abdomen was healing, now only bearing a thin red line. Within a few days it would fade altogether. He put on a clean suit, his blue one and wandered down the corridor. A quick check of the rooms found everyone in the library, where Jenny and Donna had coaxed the Master into a game of Cluedo.

"It's Professor Plum, in the dining room with the rope," the Master announced. "Seems rather inelegant. The knife or the candlestick could be so much more artistic."

"We've been playing for two minutes!" Donna protested, reaching for the little folder in the center of the board. She looked at the cards and scowled. "Spoilsport."

"I can't help it if I have a clearly superior Time Lord brain."

"Keep that up and I'll kick you in your clearly superior backside!"

"Anyone up for a trip?" the Doctor asked. They hadn't left the TARDIS since she first lost power.

"God yes," Donna groaned. "Somewhere warm and toasty."

"The beach!" the Doctor replied, bouncing eagerly. "I like the beach! There's sand and water and-"

"Skinny dipping?" the Master supplied helpfully.

Donna suppressed a shudder. "Some things I do not need to see, thanks."

"Anyway," the Doctor called over his shoulder as he strode towards the control panel. "I think we'll go to good old Earth for this one. Haven't been to South America in a while, how about we…"

He trailed off, brows furrowing in confusion as he reached the TARDIS screen.

"What's wrong?" Jenny asked, craning her neck to look. She was still learning Gallifreyan, but she thought she could make out the looping arches for "message". The Doctor frowned and reached into his pocket, pulling out his psychic paper. He glanced at it before fiddling with the controls.

"Know what? I don't think I want to go to the beach. Sand gets everywhere, and I mean everywhere. I'd have to clean the TARDIS afterward and I don't want to do that. Let's go to the Library!"

"The Library?" Donna and the Master repeated at the same time with identical expressions of amused disbelief.

"Well, yes. It's got books. People never really stop loving books."

Jenny smiled, thinking of River. She had opened her present within minutes of arriving home. It was a little blue book, the cover shaped like the TARDIS door. She didn't know where she found it or what her final words meant, but she loved it all the same.

"Big old place," Donna said as they filed out of the TARDIS, the Doctor quickly checking out his surroundings. The Master hung back, watching him and eyeing the building. Jenny and Donna shook their heads at them and followed the Doctor.

"It's the Library," the Doctor explained as they stepped onto a terrace. "Entire planet of nothing but books. The core is the hard drive, biggest one ever, with millions and millions of books. Every book ever written, actually."

"Seriously?" Donna asked, eyebrows raised with amazement. "What century?"

"51st. My old best seller should be floating around here somewhere," the Master replied.

Jenny laughed. "You wrote a book?"

"Music of Spheres. I'm nothing if not prophetic," the Master said, smiling innocently when the Doctor shoot him a look.

"Yes, but we're in biographies, so we'll just have to pass. Just as well. I love biographies."

"Yeah, very you," Donna said with a sigh. "Always with a death at the end."

"You need a good death," the Doctor said. "How one faces death is what defines them."

"Where does that leave you? The two of you can't not die to save your life!"

"Generally not dying does save one's life. Good observation, Donna," the Master deadpanned. Donna whacked him in the arm before reaching out to open one of the books.

"Oi!" the Doctor said, grabbing it out of her hand. "You can't read that. It's got spoilers."

"Spoilers?" Jenny asked, leaning on the railing, looking down at the drop.

"These books are from your future, Donna. You can't read them, it'll spoil the ending," the Doctor explained.

Donna rolled her eyes. "Isn't traveling around with you one giant spoiler? I mean, I just found out from Kaylee that the Earth collapses due to overpopulation and pollution. Don't you think that THAT is a spoiler?"

"I try to keep you away from the essential bits." The Doctor paused and looked around. "Actually, I seem to be very bad at that. This is the biggest Library in the Universe."

"So?" Donna asked, still put out by visiting a library instead of the beach.

"It's _The _Library, Donna," the Master replied. "Where are all the people?"

"Maybe it's closed?" Jenny suggested, but the Doctor shook his head.

"No, it's just silent. It shouldn't be this silent," he mumbled, darting over to an information module. He used his sonic to access it and began to fiddle with the keys.

"It's a library. Maybe they have really strict librarians," Donna argued.

"A whole planet this silent? What about all the shuttles that take people from section to section? I find it hard to believe that there's no one here," the Master watched over the Doctor's shoulder, eying the information on the screen.

"Doctor, why are we here?" Donna said, finally reaching the end of her patience. "It was all 'Let's go to the beach!' and all of a sudden we're surrounded by books in a library. You're the Doctor! Isn't it more exciting to experience all the things in these books than reading about them?"

"But this is interesting," the Doctor said, pointing at the screen. "If I do a search for your basic humanoid life forms, upright bipeds with a face and all that, I only get the four of us. But, if I extend the parameters to any kind of life forms it goes off the charts."

"It says 'error'." Jenny said, peering around the Doctor.

"A million million life forms. Gives up after that. But where are they?"

"There's no one here," Donna exclaimed, little pins of unease pricking at her scalp. "It's just books. I mean, the books can't be alive. Can they?"

"Can they?" Jenny repeated, seeing the look the Master and the Doctor gave each other. In silent agreement they edged towards the books on the table, tension growing as the Doctor flipped open the cover. It opened to say _The Life and Times of Harriet Jones_ before sliding to the floor. They all jumped at the bang that resounded as it hit marble.

"Shall we?" the Doctor asked after an embarrassed pause.

"Yeah," Donna agreed and they turned back up the stairs. As they returned to the giant room that housed the TARDIS, one of the tall white statues rotated, revealing a woman's face.

_I'm Security Node 710/Aqua. Please enjoy the Library and respect the personal access codes of all your fellow readers, regardless of species or hygiene taboo. _

"That face looks real," Donna said, squinting up at it.

"Don't worry about it," the Doctor said quickly. "It's… fine."

_Additional: there follows a brief message from the head librarian for your urgent attention. It has been edited for tone and content by the Felman Lux Automated Decency Filter. Message follows: "Run. For God's sake, run. Nowhere is safe. The Library has sealed itself. We can't- Oh, they're here. Augh slug snick." Message ends. Please switch off your mobile comm units for the comfort of other readers. _

"So that's why we're here," the Doctor muttered. "Any other messages, same date stamp?"

_One additional message. This message carries a Felman Lux Coherency warning of 5 0 11-_

"Just play it," the Master snapped.

_Message follows: "Count the shadows. For God's sake, remember, if you want to live, count the shadows." Message ends. _

There was silence as they all glanced between the node and the shadows around them.

"Everyone?" the Doctor said after a moment's pause.

"Yeah?" Donna replied uneasily.

"Stay out of the shadows."

The Master scoffed. "Thank you for that bit of advice, Doctor. I hadn't worked that out."

"Come on," the Doctor said, annoyance creeping into his voice. He led them to an hallway filled with books. There were no shadows here, just bright lights.

"We didn't just happen to come here, did we?" Jenny asked.

"You caught me," the Doctor admitted, digging out his psychic paper. He held up a message for them to see. "What do you think, cry for help?"

_The Library, come as soon as you can. X_

"Cry for help with a kiss?" Donna smirked, pointing to the x.

"Well we've all done that," the Doctor said quickly, tucking it away as the Master's face drained of any remaining amusement.

"Who'd it come from? Doesn't look like the Master would have handwriting like that."

"Why would I write anything in English?" the Master sneered.

"Yeah, but-"

"Donna!" Jenny interpreted, pointing to the end of the hallway. The light bulbs were turning off, one by one. "The lights are going out!"

"What's happening?" Donna demanded.

"Run!"

They tore down the hallway only to find a door at the end of it. The Doctor grabbed for the handle but it wouldn't budge.

"It's jammed!" the Doctor grit out, shoving all his weight onto it.

"Doctor, the shadows are getting closer!" Jenny warned nervously.

"Use your sonic!" Donna exclaimed.

"I can't, it's wood!"

"Then use your laser!" she said, turning to the Master.

The Master quickly reached into his pockets before gasping. "I… don't have one on me."

"What? You've been bickering with the Doctor over whether or not you could have one for months and now you've _forgotten _it!?"

"I left it in the other suit!" the Master yelled back. The Doctor was desperately sonicing the door hinges before Donna threw her hands in the air.

"Oh get out of the way!" she shouted and kicked the door open. They all tumbled inside, slamming it shut and wedging a book through the handles so it couldn't be opened. Feat accomplished, they all breathed a sigh of relief and turned to see a wooden ball hanging in the middle of the room,

"Oh, hello!" the Doctor called cheerfully. "Sorry for bursting in like this. Mind if we stop in for a bit?"

The ball made a little gurgling noise and dropped to the floor.

"What is it?" Jenny asked as the Doctor bent down to pick it up.

"It's a security camera," the Master explained. "Almost as good as the ones I used. Almost."

"It switched itself off," the Doctor murmured, holding it up while he applied his sonic, trying to get it back on.

"Are we safe here?" Donna asked, looking around them at the shadows.

"Course we are. There's a little shop. I like a little shop," the Doctor replied. "Where do you think I got my first sonic screwdriver?"

"The junk heap?" the Master suggested as the camera lens opened.

"Gotcha!" the Doctor cheered before frowning as the words _NO STOP IT NO NO_ scrolled past.

"Oh I'm so sorry!" the Doctor apologized quickly, putting it down gently. "I really, really am. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"What?" Donna demanded.

"It's alive."

"I thought you said it was a security camera!"

The Doctor looked up, puzzled. "It is. It's just an alive one."

"Okay," the Master admitted. "It's a bit like my ones."

"It's saying more," Jenny said, pointing to the screen.

_OTHERS ARE COMING THE LIBRARY IS BREECHED OTHERS ARE COMING_

"Others?" Donna asked. "What others? We've seen there's no one else here."

Jenny turned and saw a node. "Excuse me," she said, walking up to it. "What does it mean by others?"

"It's nothing more than an overpriced answering machine, it can't help you," the Master said. Donna scoffed as the node's head turned round.

"Then why's it got a face?"

_This flesh aspect was donated by Mark Chambers on the occasion of his death. _

Donna's mouth dropped open. "That's a real face?"

_It has been actualized individually for you from the many facial aspects saved from our extensive flesh banks. Please enjoy._

"That's a real dead face!"

"Donna, it's the 51st century. Synthetic skin, hearts, organs, what's a little real skin going to matter?" the Master chided.

"It picked me a dead face it thought I'd like!" Donna continued, stepping backwards.

"Stop!" the Doctor yelled, grabbing her waist and pulling her forward.

"Hands!" Donna exclaimed, slapping his hands away.

"Count the shadows," the Doctor echoed.

"One," Jenny said, pointing to a small dark triangle in the center of the room. "Right there. Why?"

"Yes, Jenny," the Master replied, peering upwards. "But what's casting it?"

Above them the sun and the artificial moon shone down, but there was nothing that would cast a shadow like that.

"I've got it!" the Doctor shouted, causing everyone to jump. "Thick! I'm old and thick, my head's too full of stuff!"

"We can all see that," the Master commented dryly. They turned and looked down a dark hallway where only one dying light remained.

"Power must be going," Jenny observed.

"No," the Master shook his head. "The Library runs on fission cells. It'll outlast the sun."

"Then why is it dark?" Donna asked.

"It's not dark," the Doctor hissed, turning to look at the Master. He nodded, confirming the Doctor's suspicions.

"Doctor," Donna said, tugging on his sleeve. "The shadow's gone."

"We need to get back to the TARDIS," the Master said, squaring his jaw.

"Why?" Jenny asked, backing closer to the Doctor.

"That shadow hasn't gone," the Doctor said grimly. "It's moved."

_Reminder, the Library has been breached. Others are coming. Reminder, the Library has been breached. Others are coming. _

"It's dark, Doctor," the Master said, looking closely at all the doors. "We're surrounded."

The Doctor opened his mouth to reply as a flash of light and steam blinded them for a moment. They staggered backwards into the light as new bodies covered in space suits entered the room. The first one walked up to the Doctor before reaching back to clear the visor. It revealed a woman smiling warmly up at the Doctor.

"Hello, sweetie," she said with a cheeky grin.

The Doctor stared coldly at her. "Get out."

"Doctor!" Donna chided.

"All of you," the Doctor continued. "Turn around and get back in your ship. Tell your grandchildren you saw the Library and lived, they won't believe you."

The woman only smiled indulgently at the Doctor and took off her helmet. "Helmets off everybody, we've got breathers."

"How do you know they're not androids?" Another woman asked, staring at the Doctor in suspicion.

"I've dated androids. They're rubbish. None of these people seem to be rubbish."

A short man glared at the Doctor. "Are you another expedition? I paid to be the only expedition here!"

"I lied. I'm always lying, even when I'm not," the woman turned to wink at the Doctor. "Or am I?"

"Get me the contracts," the man snapped at a girl who quickly bent over her pack, brushing back her long black hair.

"You came through the North Pole, yeah?" the woman asked the Doctor, surveying the room. "How much damage was there?"

The Doctor crossed his arms. "Please just leave. I'm asking you properly."

"Can I ask them not properly?" the Master asked eagerly.

"You can ask for whatever you like," the woman replied. "Doesn't mean I'm going to do it."

"Oh, if I say you're going to do something, you'll do it," the Master threatened. The woman only chuckled, grinning infuriatingly at the Doctor.

"Where did you pick up this one? I can see why you never told anyone about him."

"What's your name?" the Master seethed.

"River Song,"

"River Song," the Doctor jumped in before the Master let loose any of the irritation gleaming in his eye. "Lovely name. As you're leaving, and you're leaving now, you need to set up a quarantine field. No one can ever come back to the Library again."

The Master turned away, ignoring the Doctor has he tried to save the group's lives. He didn't know why he bothered, really. He had a feeling he'd quite like to see River Song stay in the Library for the rest of what would without doubt be a very short life.

"What's going on?" Jenny whispered to the Master as the Doctor bustled about, organizing the humans so they'd be a bit useful.

"Death," the Master replied with a shrug. "Death in the dark."

"Is this what River meant?" Jenny asked. "Is this the darkness?"

"River was insane, Jenny," the Master said sharply. "Brilliant, yeah, but she wasn't all together up top. Her nightmares bled into her consciousness. I'm surprised she managed to function as much as she did."

Jenny crossed her arms and glared at him. "You're just angry because she could see right through you, aren't you?" she huffed before stalking over to Donna.

"Pretty boy and blondie!" River Song called out to the Doctor as he bent over a console. "With me, I said."

The Doctor looked up, blinking in confusion. "What, I'm pretty boy?"

"Yes!" Donna cried before frowning. "Blimey, that came out awfully quick."

The Master clenched his jaw, hovering nearby to eavesdrop on their conversation. The woman was one of the Doctor's companions, apparently. From the future. A quaint little future, it seemed, filled with danger and adventure where Jenny and the Doctor traveled around picking up wavy haired tramps. And the Master wasn't there.

Some things never changed.

Jenny seemed to be staring at her. No, not at her, the Master noted, at the book in her hands. The little blue book, the one that looked like the TARDIS doors.

"You look so young," River breathed, lifting her hand to cup the Doctor's cheek. The Master curled his fists, allowing nails to bite into his palms. He relaxed after the Doctor moved away from her and reveled in the heartbroken look on the woman's face when she realized that the Doctor didn't know her.

The Master's thoughts were broken by a loud beeping, scowling as the Doctor scampered over to help Proper Dave. It sounded like a mobile phone ringing, stopping as the Doctor fiddled with the controls.

"The one day I don't bring my laser," the Master joked to the Doctor, purposely lingering too close. The Doctor continued to tap at the controls, following some of the Master's suggestions. The Doctor never noticed the look on River's face as she watched them, but the Master did.

"Maybe if I tried this…" the Doctor muttered as the screen flickered and displayed a new image.

"Hello," the Doctor said, blinking in surprise at the little girl coloring in what looked like a 21st century living room.

"Hello," the girl replied. "Are you in my television?"

"No, I'm sort of in space," the Doctor replied, brows furrowing. "I was trying to call up the Data Core Retrieval Grid Security Processor."

The little girl stared at him. "Would you like to speak to my Dad?"

"Dad or your Mum, yeah. That'd be great."

The girl suddenly gasped at him. "I know you! You're the ones in my library."

"_Your _library?" the Master asked, surprised.

"The Library has never been on television before," the little girl continued. "What have you done?"

The Doctor opened his mouth to continue on with Data Core Retrieval Grid Security Processor stories, but the little girl was cut off as the screen went back to normal. The Doctor desperately went to the controls but had no luck.

"I'll keep on trying with this one," the Master said, edging him out of the way. "Try that one over there."

The Doctor nodded before he bounded across the room. "Come on people, we need lights!"

The Master continued to try to get the system back online, trying tactic after tactic. Suddenly, books began flying off the shelves and the Master ducked to avoid being hit.

"Wasn't me!" he called over his shoulder, now trying to find a way for everything to stop. The screen flashed, now displaying "CAL" across it. The Master ignored everyone else, content to let the Doctor deal with them. He only glanced up when the panel opened on the far wall and once more when the idiot girl slipped through it. He kept tapping, only half-listening to River as she told the Doctor about the cryptic final message and was close to hacking the system when a scream echoed through the room.

As one they all turned towards the new panel and were through it in seconds, following the Doctor as they tore down hallways. They found a study room of some sort where a skeleton lay in an handsome blue throne. The Master immediately identified the uniform, inwardly smirking as the naive humans desperately tried to page Miss Evangelista. When her comm unit allowed her to ghost, the Master's pleasure grew. If he was going to be dragged to a new and decidedly dangerous place because some future plaything of the Doctor's called them there, then he was damn well going to have fun where he found it.

The Master turned back to their little camp as the girl asked for Donna, not wanting to be the one Donna latched on to when she dried her tears. That was why they kept Jenny around, after all. He poked around River's belongings, hoping to find the little blue book that seemed to be so important. By the time they returned he was back to his console, trying to bang his way through. The Doctor soon dropped to his hands and knees to hunt some Vashta Nerada to show the apes but the Master ignored him.

He tried to ignore everyone, actually, because the drums were beginning to come back. Like it or not, this River Song was a threat. A threat that the Doctor replaced him with, and the last thing the Master wanted was another Rose Tyler. He gripped the edges of the console, trying to control his urge to throw River into one of the shadows. The Doctor didn't trust her yet, but the Master wasn't stupid enough to think he'd ever be forgiven for killing his (the Doctor's) little pets, even the ones he hadn't met yet.

"Right, what we need to do is find an exit teleport. Mr. Lux?" the Doctor asked, turning towards the stumpy man.

"Don't look at me!" he protested. "I haven't memorized the schematics."

"Hear that whooshing sound, Mr. Lux?" the Doctor asked. "That's your one chance at usefulness passing by."

"Hold on," Donna said, staring at the glass. "That's a little shop. They always make you exit through the shop so they can sell you stuff!"

"Good work, Donna!" the Doctor replied, bounding over to check. "You're right."

"Great!" Proper Dave cheered, turning to his bags. "We'll just pack up and-"

"Actually, Proper Dave, could you hold on a second?"

Proper Dave stopped and looked at the Doctor. "Why?"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. But you've got two shadows."

"But how…?" Jenny asked quietly.

"It's how they hunt," the Master replied as Anita reached for Proper Dave's helmet. The Master watched the Doctor place it on the dead man's shoulders, trying vainly to save his life. Even the Doctor had to know he was a lost cause. The Master was well on his way to a good mood once more, when River Song pulled out her sonic.

The Doctor's sonic. From the future. And then he had to watch as the Doctor eyed her, wondering why he would give this woman so many things. .

"Jenny, Donna," the Doctor said, quickly herding them to the shop. "Master?"

"You want me to go?" the Master demanded as the women tumbled into the shop, out of eavesdropping range.

"We both know that as soon as I transport them on board Donna will just charge right back out. I need you to go so they won't do exactly that."

"And leave you here to die?" the Master asked quietly. The Doctor's mouth opened quickly before he paused and closed it with a soft click.

"I won't die," he said, leaning forward so they were almost touching. "I promise."

"Doctor…" the Master began warningly, but the Doctor cut him off by kissing him gently.

He pulled back with a small smile. "I _won't_."

"Fine," the Master surrendered with a sigh. "I'll just go baby sit, then."

"Well someone has to," the Doctor teased as they walked into the shop, River watching them go.

"Get on the circles!" the Doctor ordered, waiting for them to fill up the three spots. "I can't send the others, the TARDIS wouldn't recognize them, so I'll have to take them out the long way but you three…"

"What are you doing?" Donna demanded as he fiddled with the controls. "You can't just send us off. You don't have a suit either, you're exactly as vulnerable as we are and I'm not leaving you!"

"Donna?" the Master asked and Donna turned around to snap "What?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to distract you so the Doctor could push that button," the Master replied cheerfully as they teleported. Teleportation was easy, although the Master had the sneaking suspicion that the TARDIS was a little uncomfortable with them coming back without the Doctor. They had just rematerialized and he was just about to turn and put the TARDIS under deadlock so Donna couldn't slip out, when suddenly everything went Wrong. The TARDIS didn't have them, something was pulling at his body and his mind. It _hurt_. Distantly, he heard Jenny and Donna screaming in his ears as the TARDIS tried to keep them there, but then he was yanked out of existence.

---

The Doctor was confused around River Song. She was intelligent and brave, and obviously would one day give him a run for his money. But she was too familiar, and the Doctor did not like people who were intimate with him when he didn't know why. And now she was running around with his screwdriver, one of the reasons he had sent the Master with the women because if there were any other revelations, he certainly didn't-

The Master. The sonic hadn't reported any teleport breach. They hadn't landed on the TARDIS. Maybe the coordinates had slipped, or the pad malfunctioned and they were off world somewhere. Normally he wouldn't worry, but if the Master truly had forgotten his laser…

"Donna Noble!" the Doctor called to a nearby node. "Jenny Smith and the Master. Do you have the software to identify their positions?". The node turned slowly, switching over to face him.

_Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved. Jenny Smith has left the Library. Jenny Smith has been saved. The Master has left the Library. The Master has been saved. _

But the Doctor wasn't listening. He couldn't listen, not with two dark eyes staring at him. His hearts shuddered as the Master's blank face stared back at him from the node.

"Master…" he gasped as the node continued to repeat the message in the Master's smooth, even voice.

"How can that be the Master?" River asked, slowly coming behind him. "How is that possible?"

The Doctor ignored her. He reached one shaky hand up to touch the Master's cheek. It wasn't a hologram. It was the Master's real skin, skin he now knew so well. Skin he would never touch again.

"Oh, Master," the Doctor whispered. The Master was dead. And… and they would be dead too. Donna and Jenny. And just like that, he was alone. He was the last one.

The last Time Lord in the Universe.

"_Hey, who turned out the lights?_" Proper Dave's voice came echoing down the hall, clashing with the Master's repeated message of _Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved. Jenny Smith has left the Library. Jenny Smith has been saved. The Master has left the Library. The Master has been saved. _

It was River who pulled him away from the node, River who managed to get them away from the Vashta Narada. Right now, the Doctor couldn't think.

He was alone. And he had lost everyone, this time for good. He thought of Jenny and the Master and how they were almost, almost and terrifyingly domestic. And he thought of Donna, steeling himself. He had to survive, to tell her family. They would not be among the ones who never heard of their little girl again.

He didn't know if he'd survive after that.

_Donna Noble has left the Library. Donna Noble has been saved. Jenny Smith has left the Library. Jenny Smith has been saved. The Master has left the Library. The Master has been saved. _

Next Time: Forest of the Dead

**Oh, I almost forgot! If anyone wants a ficlet for Christmas (seriously people, I will be so happy after exams I want to celebrate!) go to my profile and follow the link. It's open to everyone so you won't need an LJ account to post your prompt. All fandoms I write for are listed, it's not just Doctor Who (a shock, I know). **


	13. The Forest of the Dead

**A/N: And here we go, another mini chapter. Well, I'm excited and nervous because after Midnight, it's the finale folks! Speaking of Midnight, I'm hoping to post either before or on New Years, so keep an eye out. Happy Holidays everyone! Beta'd by qaffian_luvr. **

**Review responses:**

**Bad Werewolf: I think you'll find you can see their time spent in CAL, yes.**

**The Winged Lion of Coruscant: Aw man, tests are the worse. Yes, to answer your question (and this goes for everyone!) you can send requests for the gift fics over PMs here, because I know LJ doesn't work for everyone. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

Miss Evangelista knew many things now that she was dead. She could manipulate her surroundings, knew how to move through them, how to intersect other people's lives. Time passed so surreally here. She wasn't quite sure how long she had been here. At first it had been... well, normal. She was living amongst other people. She was shunned, by those people, of course, so she had learned to content herself with being quiet and observing her surroundings, And then three more people were added to the program and Miss Evangelista had begun to notice glitches in the program. CAL was running out of memory.

Jenny was running, laughter tumbling through her lips. She was being chased by men for stopping an evil plot. She couldn't remember what it was or how she had done it, but she knew she had succeeded. She ducked and weaved, catching people as they fell, and saving the world while she was at it. She burst out of the building into the sunlight, grinning triumphantly.

She heard someone calling her.

"Jenny" She stopped, trying to see who it was. A veiled woman in black crossed the square to look at her.

"Do I know you?" Jenny asked.

"Do you?" the woman replied. "Can you recognize my voice?"

Jenny frowned. "Miss Evangelista?"

"You do." The woman sounded pleased. "Do you remember how we met?"

"We haven't met," Jenny replied, feeling dazed.

"Not here" Miss Evangelista replied, gesturing around them.

"No…" Jenny trailed off. Suddenly, something caught her memory and she opened her mouth to say it-

"Miss Evangelista," a smooth voice cut in. Jenny turned to see a man standing beside them, staring sternly at the woman from behind his round glasses. "You must not disrupt other's integration."

"She's not like Donna Noble" Miss Evangelista replied evenly. "Her mind is different."

"Donna?" Jenny asked. "What's happened to Donna?"

"Do you remember Donna?"

"That is quite enough," the man said quickly.

Miss Evangelista turned to him. "This girl and the Master cannot be integrated. Their minds are too large. We must make them aware before they use up too much memory space."

"The Master?" Jenny repeated before it all came rushing back, cramming into her head.

"It is my duty to ensure that everyone is fully integrated with CAL," Dr Moon said. "If you can't do that, then do not contaminate others."

"What's the Master done?" Jenny asked, ignoring the man.

"He has many demons, doesn't he?" Miss Evangelista asked. "He now has a world that changes to his whim. He has learned to manipulate it. We must find him before the entire system crashes and we are all lost."

"Miss Evangelista, I must protest," Dr Moon began but she waved him away.

"Dr Moon, CAL is collapsing around us. Do your job and I will do mine."

Dr Moon frowned at her and Miss Evangelista turned away, signaling for Jenny to follow.

"How are we going to find the Master?" Jenny asked.

"The only way we can here," Miss Evangelista replied. "By wishing."

----

The sonic wouldn't work. He wasn't getting a signal, there was at least one Vashta Narada infested shadow surrounding them and now River was talking to him. No, worse than that, she was arguing with him, while waving a future version of his sonic screwdriver around.

The Doctor grabbed the tool out of her hand and glanced at it before glaring at her. "So, sometime in the future I just give you this. What makes me do that, then?"

River shook her head. "I didn't pry it from your cold, dead hands if that's what you're worried about. The last time I saw you, you were... well, alive and well."

"And I would know that because...?"

"Listen to me," River whispered, stepping closer to him. "You've lost people. We both just lost Jenny-"

"So you know Jenny as well?"

"- and you just lost Donna and the Master. But you need to be less emotional right now."

The Doctor's glare deepened. "Less emotional? I'm not being emotional."

"There are five people left in this room, focus on them, Doctor! I know this is hard but you're being overly hostile and, dear god, you are hard work when you're young!"

That was the last straw. "Young? Who are you!?"

"We're going to be eaten alive any second," Lux snapped from the center of the room. "And you two are standing there, squabbling like an old married couple!"

River breathed deeply before speaking. "He's right. We're all going to die if you don't concentrate, Doctor. I heard you. You promised the Master you wouldn't die. Aren't you going to live up to that promise? You're together, you care about him and that... well, that makes a lot of sense. But you owe him this, Doctor. Survive."

"What makes a lot of sense?" the Doctor demanded, flinching away from her words.

"Doctor," River began, looking at him sadly. "One day I'm going to be someone that you trust. But right now I don't have time for you to realize this. So I'm sorry, I'm so very sorry."

Then she leaned in, tears in her eyes, and whispered his name in his ear.

The Doctor froze, her words sinking in. She slowly stepped back, biting her tongue. His name. She knew his name. Only one other person in the universe besides himself knew that, and she had brought the number up to three. There was only one time he would have told her his name. When he was going to die. It had happened once before, when he was with Martha and the living sun was consuming him. But Martha had silenced him before he could say it. River had stayed and listened. If the Doctor was... he was going to die. His last regeneration.

"Are we good?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," the Doctor replied, nodding as she walked away. He closed his eyes, briefly reminding himself that although death was coming, it was not to catch him here. Her words made it inevitable.

------

"So, when you said we moved about by wishing..." Jenny began.

"We decided to meet the Master and we will," Miss Evangelista promised. "We simply have to wait for him to catch up.

"But how-?"

"He has created his own world. He directs countries, orders servants about. Too many people for the system to contain, he is endangering other realities."

And then they found themselves standing in a manor hall, polished marble and rich furniture all around them. Servants scuttled around them, all muttering that Mr. Master was on the warpath again.

"This way" Miss Evangelista said as a butler appeared at the top of the stairs, showing them into a sitting room. She sat on a couch, adjusting her veil.

"How did that happen?" Jenny hissed once the butler was out of hearing.

"Time skips here, Jenny. It saves space. Space" she added, looking around her in disdain, "that the Master is wasting."

"If time skips, than why are we waiting?"

Miss Evangelista turned to look at the door behind Jenny. "Because you can manipulate the programming, can't you Mr. Master?"

"Do I know you?" he asked, eyes flickering between them.

"Yes," Miss Evangelista replied. "You simply choose not to."

"I don't like other people having an advantage over me," the Master replied, indicating a chair for Jenny to sit in. "Why would I choose to forget?"

"Because you're scared it would mean you're dead."

The Master smirked. "I am very alive."

"Not in here," Miss Evangelista replied smoothly.

"And how do you know that?"

"There are no drums here." she replied evenly, before leaning forward and drumming her fingers on the coffee table. "Do you remember this?"

Then the Master did remember and for a moment he cursed himself at being caught unaware.

"Did you came all the way here to show me that?" he snapped, grabbing a drink from a dark mahogany cabinet.

"I came so you would give up space. Surely you can feel the walls beginning to crumble."

"I try not to," the Master mumbled. Miss Evangelista's head tipped to the side.

"You're not dead" she finally said.

"Well, no." Jenny replied. "I mean, we couldn't talk if we were."

"I am dead." Miss Evangelista told her. "My consciousness was merely caught in the wifi and uploaded. I am only a poor copy of my personality."

"Very true. Here you're clever, for one thing," the Master added.

"I believe a decimal was shifted in my IQ, yes. I have... atoned for it in other ways."

"So why aren't we dead?" Jenny asked.

"CAL saved you during transport, as it did with all the other survivors. Your bodies can be actualized, should the system ever find the need."

"We are in a computer!" Jenny exclaimed, astonished. "How is that possible?"

"The Library is supported by the biggest hard drive in the universe," the Master replied. "It's just possible, but it would require conscious thought. Unless someone programmed an artificial intelligence chip..."

"There are other ways," Miss Evangelista replied cryptically before standing. "We must find Donna Noble."

"Is she okay?" Jenny asked.

"She has integrated with the program," Miss Evangelista said. "I fear if she remains, she will continue to use memory."

"Why her?" the Master asked. "Everyone who leaves the Library is here, isn't it right? What about everyone from one hundred years ago?"

"Their realities have been put on a loop." Miss Evangelista explained. "They are just beginning their first repeat. Donna, however, is new. She requires new space and she has dislodged another survivor."

The Master frowned. "And you can tell this because...?"

"My own reality was flawed," Miss Evangelista said as she took a bit of paper from the Master's desk and wrote on it. "CAL can only attempt to recreate human nature, it cannot change it."

"Why would it need to change it?" Jenny asked.

Miss Evangelista ignored her and left the room. Jenny bolted after her and the Master followed slowly, startling as they came out the other side of the doorway, on a dark street.

"Where are we?" Jenny asked, but Miss Evangelista was already walking towards a house. She slipped the piece of paper in the mail slot and returned to them on the curb.

"What-" the Master began, but he stopped as Miss Evangelista stared at the window. Donna was staring out at them, her face worried but without a hint of recognition.

"That's Donna!" Jenny gasped.

Miss Evangelista nodded. "Indeed. Follow me, we will speak to her in a moment."

"Is time going to skip again?" Jenny asked as she took a step forward and found herself in broad daylight at a children's park. "How can it happen like this?"

"Donna made the decision to come," Miss Evangelista explained. "And she will."

"Something's wrong," the Master hissed. "We shouldn't have come."

Miss Evangelista say down on a bench. "We had to come."

"It's affecting the programming. I don't care how much smarter you are, you're still wrong," he snarled.

Miss Evangelista shrugged. "Then leave."

"We need to find Donna-" Jenny began but the Master grabbed her hand and pulled her away, walking briskly down the street. "Master!"

"Miss Evangelista is wrong. Donna can't help us. The program is becoming overwhelmed, it's true, but this is not the way to help."

"What do we do then?" Jenny asked quietly as they stood on the corner .

The Master paused and watched Donna arrive with her children. "We find CAL."

"And then?"

"We fix it."

----

There had been a brief flash of hope as the Doctor stood before the console. Everyone had been moved to the hard drive, converted to data and saved. The Master was still alive. Everyone was. And then the computer had initiated self destructing and any chance he had at getting them back was suddenly ripped from his hands.

"We need to get to the hard drive," Lux explained. "We can get into the system from there."

"It's at the core of the planet," the Doctor replied. "How are we supposed to get to the core of the planet?"

"Follow me," River announced, flashing a grin at him and aiming her sonic at the center of the room. The floor opened up and revealed a metal disk. "Gravity platform."

"I bet I like you," the Doctor murmured despite himself.

"Oh you do," she replied with a cheeky grin. The Doctor offered a small smile on the ride down, but his mind was on other things. He had to save them, had to save them all. He had an idea of what the problem was. He knew how to fix it, but... No.

He'd rather save the Master than keep his promise.

-------

Miss Evangelista was right. Jenny was able to move about the world by wishing and soon they found themselves in a small apartment. The sky was red outside and the wind whipped around them. A small girl lay curled in the center of the room, sobbing into her hands. Suddenly all the electronics in the apartment went off at once and they ducked to avoid being hit.

"Where's the computer?" Jenny hissed. "I thought we were looking for CAL?"

"I believe we found it." the Master replied, kneeling beside the little girl. "Can you hear me?"

"Help me," she sobbed. "Please help me."

"Let me try," the Master said, placing his fingers on her temples. It didn't work- she was part of the computer and her own mind was shutting down.

"Shadows," she gasped. "I have to save. Have to save."

"You saved us," Jenny assured her, gently running her fingers through her hair. "We're here, you succeeded."

"Something's wrong," the Master said, picking up the smashed remote. "I think we were the last straw. We tipped the scale and she couldn't handle it."

"So what do we do?"

"Hold on," the Master snapped, aiming the remote at the TV. It turned on, showing dim corridor after dim corridor in the Library. The Master tried every button, flipped through every channel until he found the one he was looking for.

"Doctor!" Jenny shouted, seeing the Time Lord in question sprawled out on the ground. "Why's he handcuffed?"

"There, I think," the Master said, zooming out. "River Song is wiring something, she's- oh."

"Oh?" Jenny asked. "What's oh?"

"She's giving CAL extra memory space," the Master explained.

"How?"

"Using her own mind."

Jenny frowned. "Can she do that?"

"Not if she wants to survive," the Master replied, watching as the Doctor gained consciousness and struggled to reach his screwdriver. The Master watched the screen closely, listening to her as she said her goodbyes.

And then, "River, you know my name. You whispered my name in my ear. There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could do that."

The Master froze, his blood running cold. River knew the Doctor's name. His _name_, the very thing that defined him. And suddenly he hated River, hated her more than he ever had before. Hated her more than he hated Jack or Martha or even Rose. The Doctor's name was the last thing he had that was completely his. They had exchanged their names so long ago, when they were young and didn't know what they were doing. Even now, it was the one trick the Master didn't dare use. It was the only promise the Doctor had made that he couldn't go back on. And now he had gone and told River.

_You told Lucy_, a small voice in his head reminded him. _Lucy knows your name, she's waiting until the right moment to use it. Yes, but that had been in case the Valiant plot failed. He had no use for it now that he was alive and- Lucy. Lucy knew. He would have to take care of that, lest she used it to bring him back. _

A blinding flash of light brought the Master out of his thoughts and suddenly the light was not only in the television screen, it was in the windows and all around them, tugging them apart.

"Master!" Jenny screamed, reaching for him.

"It's all right! CAL is sending us home. We're going home, Jenny," he shouted back. He had to get back, he had to hurry. He had to find the Doctor.

------

In the end, there was nothing the Doctor could do. He couldn't save River Song, the woman who had saved everyone in the Library. She had known his name and... the Doctor had been horrible. She loved him and he obviously would love her. And here, her last day alive and her last hours with him, he had insulted her. He had turned her aside and he had openly ignored her for the Master.

He didn't try to escape the handcuffs. It wasn't worth it. For now, he just stared at the seat she died in, her body long used up. He couldn't even give her the burial she deserved.

He heard the Master's footsteps long before he saw him. He didn't say a word- he wasn't ready. The Master was silent as well. He stopped at the foot of the chair and glanced at it before picking up the blue book and the two sonics. He used the old one, the Doctor's one, to undo the handcuffs and then he sat beside him quietly.

They stayed like that, side by side and silent.

"We have one day," the Doctor finally managed. "The Vashta Narada gave us one day to clear out the Library."

"Generous for a swarm," the Master replied. "Good job."

"Yeah, well," he shakily stood up. "I let them read biographies."

"Oh, yes. They obviously didn't read about the time you saved Greece without your suit on, did they?"

The Doctor smiled quietly. "I thought we agreed we weren't talking about that."

"In front of Donna. And I haven't. Although," the Master paused thoughtfully. "I suppose it's very telling of my talents that you completely forgot you weren't wearing clothes. I am so very good, I'm not surprised your brain turned to mush and you forgot that little detail."

"They're Greeks. A little nudity is part of the culture," the Doctor replied before laying a hand on the Master's shoulder. "Thank you."

"I did nothing more than get stuck in a computer, Doctor," the Master replied before handing him River's book and the future sonic.

"Thank you," the Doctor repeated. The Master nodded and they stepped onto the gravity lift. The Master went to find Jenny while the Doctor tracked down Donna and they met where they started. Biographies.

"She wrote most of her life in here," the Doctor said, placing the little blue book on the railing. "All her time, traveling."

"Biographies," Jenny said with a nod. "Good place to leave it."

"It's just..." the Doctor trailed off, staring at the book and the screwdriver. "If she knew me in the future, then I would have had all this time to think about it. Why didn't I think of a way to save her?"

"There might not have been a way," Donna suggested softly.

"Then why giver her my sonic?" the Doctor asked. "It didn't do us much good. We could have gone without it. So why did I give it to her?"

He turned River's screwdriver in his hands before finding a secret compartment. He snapped it open and was rewarded with the blinking lights of a neural relay. He was off like a shot, up the stairs and down the way he had come.

"What?" Jenny stammered. Donna gently held her back from following him. "Where is he going?"

"Remember Miss Evangelista?" the Master asked. "CAL used her neural relay to save her to the hard drive."

"Saved..." Jenny repeated before her eyes widened. "Do you mean he's going to literally save her to the hard drive?"

"Everyone else is probably there as well," the Master replied. "Everything dead or created."

"So the little girl will have someone to watch over her?" Jenny asked.

"Little girls always need someone to watch over them," Donna said quietly. They began their way back to the TARDIS before Jenny turned to look at the Master.

"Before Miss Evangelista got there," she began. "What was your perfect world? Mine was running, what was yours?"

"Money and power," the Master replied automatically. He was lying.

The one thing CAL couldn't do was recreate what already existed. There was no Doctor on her hard drive so there was no Doctor in her systems. The Master couldn't even remember the Doctor aside from dreams, dreams he had every night.

His perfect world did give him money and power. He literally ruled the world and did whatever he liked. But he was missing something, something he could not name until Miss Evangelista and Jenny had reappeared and had given it a name. The Doctor. He was missing the Doctor.

The Master swallowed thickly when the Doctor returned to the TARDIS and shut the doors with a snap of his fingers. He had the power to command an army of Vashta Narada. Even before this, he had won the Time War. The very war that nothing else had survived. The Doctor was powerful and more than that, he was almost broken.

The Master was no fool. He knew the Doctor never healed from anything. How could he, when he ran all the time? He had never truly dealt with the Time War, even if Rose had smoothed that over. He transferred his rage unto stray aliens. Before, he had traveled for fun, now he was driven by a desire to fix everything. And he could. The Doctor could hold the universe together singlehandedly, and the thought chilled the Master and thrilled him at the same time.

They knew each other's names. They were forever bonded. The Doctor belonged to the Master. The Master had the most powerful thing in the universe. It was beautiful.

He was beautiful.

They didn't say anything that night. They didn't have to, they were long past words. The Master kissed the Doctor, slowly, intensely and, though he would forever deny it, sweetly. And these bodies, these young, beautiful bodies were made for this. They were strong and sensitive, they responded to skillful movements. The Master still loved this part when he slowly took away the Doctor's suit, when he stripped him down to pale skin.

It was so intensely them, that even the Master was willing to forego any harsh words. The Doctor's bed had become neutral ground. They could snarl whatever they wanted to each other, anywhere but here. Here, it was like they had never been apart.

The Master slowly entered the Doctor, his sporadic thoughts suddenly fading out and honing in on the moment. As one they reached for each others temples and eased inside each other's minds, finding that one special spot. And it was a special indeed, for the Master could feel what the Doctor felt, feeling him do the same. It was there that they rested as they lay together, their pleasures mingling. Afterwards the Master slid out, waiting for the Doctor to mentally do the same. He did, but not before leaving one last imprint.

The Master knew the Doctor wasn't aware of how lonely he sounded.

Still, he said nothing. He allowed the Doctor to nuzzle his neck and to fall asleep like that in his arms. The Master tried not to think about it as his eyes fluttered close. It was far too terrifying to see what they had become, here, together.

" Forever together" suddenly seemed tangible. It was a possibility.

The Doctor's dreams were mercifully absent that night, leaving him to do nothing but sleep. When he awoke in the morning, he was startled to find a warm body beside him. The Doctor propped himself up and stared in amazement.

The Master was here. He had stayed all night.

Suddenly, amazingly, the Master was here. The Doctor smiled.

They were together. The Master had stayed.

**Next time: Midnight**


	14. Midnight

**A/N: Happy New Years! I've had a lot of good things happen this holiday, and I hope everyone else's season went well and will continue to do so. I'm excited because this chapter is the kick off of the final plot arch. It's kind of scary, but I'm really glad to have finished a major fic! **

**Warnings: Major Character Death**

**Review Responses:**

**TrinaMarina: Did you mean the Doctor? Because I think the Master's been coming out on top (for once!) **

**The Winged Lion of Coruscant: The Master/Doctor fandom spoils me, I'm merely returning the favor. I think everyone's going to want to hug the Doctor by the end of the chapter, though. **

**Crowded Mind: I know! What will I do with my free time after this? Oh yeah, write more fic!**

**Bad Werewolf: Thanks!**

**Miharu-desu: Here it is!**

* * *

Jenny spent the morning turning River Tam's book in her hands. It would pass from one River to another, it seemed. Jenny sighed and wondered what else River had known, why she always seemed to treat the Master and the Doctor with sympathy.

"Jenny!" Donna said, popping her head into the girl's room. "Here you are. Want to come with me and convince the Doctor to take us somewhere fun?"

"Oh, most definitely!" Jenny replied with a grin, carefully tucking the book away so Donna wouldn't see it. Donna would recognize it and Jenny wanted to keep it just between her and... well, River.

They found the Master and the Doctor working on the TARDIS. The Doctor lay underneath the console with his sleeves bunched up round his elbows and tools scattered around him while the Master stood in front of the screen and called out suggestions as he recalibrated it.

"So..." Donna said, leaning on the console. "I was promised a beach."

"That you were," the Doctor agreed as he sat up, rolling his sleeves back down his arms.

"But I don't want a beach. Too much work. I want to be pampered," Donna announced, biting her lip in thought. "I want a spa."

"A spa?" the Master repeated. "Donna, I am not going to spa."

"You don't have to come!" Donna protested. "Just... I dunno, think of a place that has a spa for me and something for you lot to do."

"We can think of somewhere new," the Doctor added, standing up and putting his coat on . "I'm rather in the same mind as her, actually. I just want to be somewhere."

"So... new and with a spa then?" Jenny said, looking at the Doctor and the Master expectantly. "Surely there are some places even you two haven't been."

"Well..." The Doctor stretched out the word before his eyes lit up. "Oh I know! Midnight! I've never been to Midnight."

"What's Midnight?" Donna asked. "I want a proper spa, mind, not one of your kinky ones."

"It's a planet made of diamonds, Donna. Granted, they're toxic diamonds so you have to stay inside the skyplex, but I've heard its gorgeous. And yes, it has a spa."

"I could go for that, yeah," Donna said, glancing around. "Jenny? Master?"

The Master shrugged. "No arguments here."

"Well then," the Doctor said, quickly entering the coordinates into the console. "Allons-y!"

------

Midnight was as beautiful as the Doctor said it would be. Jenny had poured over the tourist pamphlet with him, while the Master enviously watched Donna stroll towards the spa. She wasn't going to get sucked into one of their little adventures.

"Look!" the Doctor said, pointing at a box on the glossy paper. "Tour of the Sapphire Waterfalls."

"That sounds amazing," Jenny said, peering down at it. "And the tour bus hasn't left yet! We can still make it."

"It's a four hour trip," the Master pointed out, sighing when Jenny and the Doctor gave him imploring gazes.

"It's not that long. We'll be back in time for dinner," the Doctor said.

The Master shook his head and threw his hands into the air. "No, we never listen to me, do we? Fine, lets go. But next time I get to decide the entertainment."

"Deal." The Doctor beamed up at him before he scampered off to get tickets.

"Thank you!" Jenny said, giving him a large smile and a squeeze on the arm. The Master gave a small smile back. These moments terrified him, but he was beginning to like them all the same. Of course, by the time they boarded the train and he realized he was going to be trapped with talkative humans for four hours, the Master was quite willing to rethink his decision.

"You're sitting in the aisle," the Master said as the Doctor headed for the front row. The Doctor shook his head fondly and allowed the Master to squeeze in ahead of him.

Jenny settled in behind them, eagerly peering at the other passengers while the stewardess heaped complimentary items on the Master and the Doctor.

"I thought they would've stopped serving peanuts altogether by now," the Master murmured. "They're poisonous to at least five different species and some humans are still allergic to them."

"Oh, but peanuts have value. Very good protein intake. It's a four hour trip and we all know you get cranky when your blood sugar drops," the Doctor teased.

The Master scowled. "I'll show you cranky."

"Ladies and gentleman and variations thereupon, welcome on board the Crusader Fifty," the stewardess began once they were all seated. The Master ignored her and closed his eyes, leaning back in his seat. The drums, the double heart beat, had been pounding louder in his head recently. It was irritating to say the least. He had behaved and the Doctor and him were... well, they were closer than they had been in a long time. They were almost close to functioning.

The Master winced as the stewardess began turning on the multiple entertainment stations, the different sounds and images clashing horribly.

"A dignified Time Lord does not use earplugs," he huffed before nudging the Doctor. "Take care of it, will you?"

"Working on it," the Doctor muttered, subtly activating his sonic screwdriver. Only the woman across from them noticed and she gave the Doctor a small grateful smile.

The stewardess rushed forward, trying to fix the system. "I'm sorry, it appears that we are experiencing a failure of the entertainment system."

Everyone around the compartment reacted with either relief or disappointment.

"What are we going to do for four hours?" a man asked.

"We can talk to each other," the Doctor said, bouncing up in his seat. "Share some stories, get to know each other. Hello, I'm the Doctor. What do you say?"

The other passengers glanced at each other and the Doctor flashed a large grin at them.

"Calm down," the Master said with a sigh from his seat beside him. "You'll make everyone nervous."

"I'm Dee Dee," said the girl sitting two seats back from them said. Jenny peered over the back of her seat.

"Hello, I'm Jenny," she said, reaching to shake her hand.

"Professor Hobbes," said the portly man sitting next to her.

"What about you?" the Doctor asked the woman sitting across the aisle from them.

She glanced up from her book and gave him a weak smile. "Sky Silvestry."

"We're Val and Biff," said a middle aged woman from the middle row, gesturing at her husband and then the boy across the aisle from them. "And that's our son, Jethro."

"This is the Master," the Doctor said when the Master only raised an eyebrow at everyone's expectant looks. "Ignore him, he gets a bit shy."

"I'll show you shy," the Master snorted but didn't say anything more.

"Right," the Doctor said, crossing his arms. "Anyone know any good jokes?"

----

By the end of the first hour the Doctor had already bonded with every person on-board.

"Typical you," the Master said, accepting a cup of tea from the Doctor as they stood at the drink station. "Bet you already know all their life stories."

"Oh, there's not enough time for that," the Doctor said before smiling. "Thank you."

"For?"

"For coming with us. I know sitting for four hours wasn't something you were keen on."

The Master shrugged. "Yes, well it was either that or go with Donna. We all know how that would have turned out."

"Her listing your faults and trying to play psychiatrist?"

"Exactly." The Doctor nodded in amusement before glancing around them. When the Master looked up to ask him what was the matter the Doctor grinned mischievously and tugged on the Master's tie, kissing him.

"You could have just asked," the Master said with a sigh as he moved his tea cup from between them, trying to avoid having hot liquid down his front.

"Better to ask forgiveness than permission," the Doctor replied with a grin before the Master raised an eyebrow and kissed him again.

"Gross," said Jethro, rolling his eyes as he and Jenny turned back around in their seats. "I hate it when parents go all public displays of affection."

"I don't mind so much," Jenny said cheerfully "But I've only known them for a few months, so I don't exactly know if I consider them 'parents'."

"A few months?" Jethro asked before nodding in understanding. "Oh, lived with your Mum, then?"

"Yeah, something like that," Jenny said. "But now I just travel with them and Donna. Oh, you'd like Donna."

"You like traveling with them?" Jethro asked, wrinkling his nose. "Lucky. My parents always drag me to the stupidest places. Half of the time they insist on it having 'educational value.'"

"The Doctor's not a traditional parent," Jenny replied with a laugh.

"So.. the Master isn't like, an adopted father?"

Jenny laughed. "No, and he'd probably kill me if I pretended he was. We're getting closer, though. He has a pretty tough exterior."

"And it isn't awkward?"

"It's mostly hilarious, really," Jenny replied. "They do like to bicker but they always know somewhere fun to go. If it wasn't for that I wouldn't be here to keep you company."

"I bet you say that to all the boys," Jethro said with a grin.

"I'm fairly new to traveling and there wasn't... time before the Doctor came. He's still a good father though, he likes to teach me himself."

"How does that even work, anyway? What was he, fourteen when you were born?"

"He's a lot older than he looks and I'm actually younger than I look," Jenny replied with a nervous laugh as the stewardess brought out the dinner trays, providing a useful distraction. At the end of the meal Professor Hobbes took out his slides and borrowed the Crusader's slide machine. As Dee Dee operated it, he gave them a lecture on the non-existent history of Midnight. Even the Master was a little intrigued when the vehicle rumbled to a stop.

"Have we stopped?" Val asked, looking around. "Are we there?"

"It's too soon," Jenny said. "It hasn't been four hours."

"Well, we can't have stopped, Crusaders never stop," Hobbes began.

"Ladies and gentleman and all variations in between," the stewardess interrupted, strolling up the aisle. "Please take your seats. We are experiencing a brief delay while the engineers stabilize the engine feeds. We'll be on our way shortly."

"Oh, now that's interesting," the Master murmured, sharing a glance with the Doctor. The Doctor brushed past the stewardess holding up his psychic paper and slipped into the cockpit.

"What's interesting?" Jenny asked as she sat down in the row behind him.

"These vehicles have micropetrol engines," the Master whispered. "They don't need stabilizing."

"So what's wrong?" Jenny asked.

"Either something very bad they don't want us to know about, or something they can't explain."

"Can the Doctor fix it?"

"One of us can."

The Doctor emerged from the cabin and Mrs. Silvestry jumped up to accost him. "What's wrong in there?"

"Oh, just what they said. Everything's fine," the Doctor replied quickly.

"This is completely unacceptable. I am on a schedule!" she snapped as the stewardess sent them back to their seats and disappeared into the cockpit herself.

"Well?" the Master asked when the Doctor sat down beside him.

"The junior mechanic thought he saw something moving outside," the Doctor whispered back.

The Master frowned. "That's Xonic radiation out there."

"I know."

"Doctor," Dee said quietly, peering around the seats. "Micropetrol engines don't need stabilizing. What's going on in there?"

"Just a bit of flim-flam. It's fine," the Doctor replied, causing Hobbes to pop his head up.

"Will that affect our air supply?" he asked, causing Val and Biff to jump into panic mode. The Master chuckled to himself as they continued to yell until the Doctor silenced their shouts.

"I've spoken to the captain and I can guarantee you, everything's fine," the Doctor said as two knocks echoed against the side of the Crusader. The Master swung up in his seat to stand beside the Doctor, staring at the wall while Hobbes offered a few measly explanations. The two knocks continued their way around the vehicle, jumping briefly unto the roof before it found the fire exit and tried to open the door. It slid its way to the entrance and knocked there.

"What is that?" Val demanded, her breath high and panicky. "Can it get in?"

"That door is on two hundred weight hydraulics, nothing can force it open," Dee Dee assured her. Biff stepped up to the door and touched it before pounding his fist against it three times.

"Nah," he said, nodding in approval. "Nothing can get through that door."

Whatever was outside knocked back three times.

"Oh my god, it answered!" Val hissed, quickly backing away.

"Right, alright, calm down," the Doctor said, gently pushing her away before turning to the door himself. He pressed his ear against the cool metal and knocked four times, frowning when he received four knocks back. The Master quickly came to stand beside him.

"Doctor?" he asked quietly.

The Doctor shook his head. "No idea..."

"I must insist that everyone return to their seats!" the stewardess cried as she picked up the phone and attempted to call the drivers. Mrs. Silvestry began to panic, screaming and shouting at all of them.

"Calm down!" Dee Dee tried as the knocks returned to the roof, pounding their way to the front.

"It's coming for me," Mrs. Silvestry gasped, backing towards the door Jenny got out of her seat, holding out her arms and trying to calm the frantic woman down. "Oh dear god it's coming for me. It's coming for me!"

"Get there!" the Doctor yelled, darting forward as something punched in the metal beside Mrs. Silvestry's head. Suddenly the lights cut and the Crusader rocked from side to side, sparks showering down on them.

When it ended, the Master experimentally flexed his muscles and did a quick scan of his body to make sure nothing was injured. He looked up to see the Doctor doing the same.

"Everyone all right?" the Doctor asked, turning to face them. He didn't see Rose Tyler's face flash across the screen behind him, but the Master did. He frowned, wondering how she was able to find the Doctor from another universe.

"There are torches in the back of the seats," the stewardess said as the Doctor came to check on the Master.

"I can stand up by myself, you know," he hissed irritably, pushing him away as Jethro swung his light to the front of the seats.

"Jenny?" he asked, his torch casting a thin stream of light on a pile of torn up seats.

"All the seats have been destroyed," Val gasped, shining her torch on them. "What the hell could have done that?"

"I'm fine!" Jenny called back from underneath the rubble. She shifted before crying out.

"Jenny!" The Doctor was beside her in a second, shining the torch into the center of the jumbled mess to see her.

"I'm not hurt, I'm just stuck," she said wiggling her foot. "I just twisted myself the wrong way, that's all."

"Here," the Master said, kneeling down beside the Doctor. "I'll cut her out."

"You aren't allowed to have a weapon on board!" the stewardess exclaimed as the Master slid his laser screwdriver out of his pocket and quickly began to cut through the metal.

"Bit late for that," the Master muttered. He cut the last bit away, allowing an armrest to clatter to the floor. Jenny squeezed out, sighing with relief as the Doctor quickly checked her over.

"I'm fine," she repeated before glancing at the front. "Is Mrs. Silvestry okay?"

They all turned to see her cowering in the corner, her hands firmly planted on the top of her head.

"Mrs. Silvestry, it's over," the Doctor said, laying a hand across her shoulders comfortingly. "You're okay. The wall held, you're fine."

"Driver Joe, can you hear me?" the stewardess called into the phone, before hurriedly walking to the front. "The communication comms must be down, excuse me."

She opened the door and was met by a blinding light as alarm bells echoed through the Crusader. Everyone's hands flew up to protect their eyes and the Master's laser dropped onto one of the seats. The stewardess pressed the button and stumbled back as the door closed.

"What the hell was that?" Val shrieked, clinging to Biff.

"The cabin's gone," the stewardess gasped, blinking rapidly. "It's not there, like it's been ripped away."

The Doctor took his sonic to the control panels, gasping as it popped open to reveal sliced wires.

"It was separated from the cabin," the Doctor said quietly, causing the stewardess to frown.

"But if it's cut off then..."

"Their compartment lost integrity. I'm sorry, but they've been reduced to dust."

"What about us then?" Val demanded, brushing away tears.

"The Crusader would have automatically sealed itself," the Doctor explained, "But they sent a distress signal, they saved our lives. We are going to get out of here, I promise!"

"Doctor," the Master said quietly. "She's still not moving."

"Sky," the Doctor said as he knelt down beside her. "Can you turn and face me? That's all I want you to do. Can you do that?"

Everyone held their breath as she slowly lowered her hands before snapping around and staring at them, her eyes piercing and searching.

The Doctor leaned forward and she swung her head round to him, barely glancing at the Master as she focused on the Doctor's face.

"Sky?" he asked, pausing as she imitated his every move.

"Sky?" she replied hesitantly.

The Doctor frowned. "Are you alright?"

"Are you alright?"

"Are you hurt?"

"Are you hurt?"

The Master leaned forward, eyebrows drawing together as she continued to repeat everything the Doctor said.

"Why's she doing that?" Biff asked, causing her to snap forward to look at him, repeating his words.

"What's she doing?" Val demanded, flinching when Sky echoed her. "She's gone mad!"

"I don't think she can help it," Dee Dee said, echoed by Mrs. Silvestry's voice.

"Why are you doing that," the Doctor asked once he got the humans to be quiet. "Why are you repeating?"

"What is that?" the Master asked as she turned too look at him as she copied his every word. "Learning? Copying? Absorbing?"

The Doctor glanced at him before rattling off the square root of pi, going through fifteen numbers before he leaned back in amazement as she repeated every numeral.

"There's no way she could have done that," Dee Dee gasped.

"Make her stop!" Val cried, flinching away when Mrs. Silvestry turned to look at her. "Make her stop looking at me!"

The Doctor and the Master shared a disturbed glance as everyone began talking at once. Mrs. Silvestry, or whatever she was, repeated every word.

Suddenly the lights came back on and everyone relaxed when the stewardess began to give instructions and Mrs. Silvestry didn't repeat a word. Jenny turned to ask if she was alright and gasped as she noticed her lips moving.

"Doctor..." Jethro murmured nervously.

"Yes," the Doctor replied, staring at Sky. "I know."

" Now step back, Doctor,," Hobbes said calmly, with the air of someone who was used to always being listened to. "I think you should leave her alone."

The professor stilled as he realized that Sky was talking with him, her eyes no longer wide and curious but dark and malicious.

"She's talking with you!" Val gasped before letting out a little cry. "And with me! Biff, how's she doing that?"

"She's repeating," Jenny said. "She's repeating at the same time!"

"I think it's time for everyone to be very, very quiet," the Doctor said softly, giving everyone a firm look. "Have you got that?"

"How is she doing that!" Val yelled.

"Mrs. Kane, please be quiet," the Master said sharply.

"She's got my voice! She's got my words!" Val continued, falling silent only when Biff held her back.

"Val, just be quiet," he began before staring at Mrs. Silvestry. "Oh god, she's doing it to me!"

"Everyone just be quiet, please!" the Doctor snapped before kneeling down, staring into Mrs. Silvestry's eyes.

"Now then, Sky," the Doctor said, frowning as she eyed him appraisingly and continued speaking with him. . "Are you Sky? Is Sky still in there? You know exactly what I'm going to say. How are you doing that?"

The Doctor leaned back before naming random words, wondering if she was merely guessing or actually did know. "Roast beef. Bananas. The Medusa Cascade. Bang! Rose Tyler, Martha Jones, Donna Noble, TARDIS. Shamble bobble dibble dooble. Oh Doctor, you're so handsome. Yes I am, thank you. ABCDEFGHIJKLMNO..."

The Doctor paused and stood up warily.

"First she repeats and then she catches up," the Master said, turning to look at the Doctor. "What's the next stage?"

"The next stage of what?" Dee Dee demanded, standing up.

"That's not her anymore, is it?" Jethro asked, slowly coming forward to help Jenny off the floor. "That's not Mrs. Silvestry anymore?"

"I don't think so, no," the Doctor said softly, causing Val to cry into Biff's chest. The Master frowned to see the creature even copying the sobs. "I think the more she talks the more she learns. Now I'm all for education but in this case... Maybe not."

He trailed off and the Master began herding everyone into the drink station and away from the creature.

"She's not strong," the Doctor said, planting himself in the doorway as a sort of barrier. "She hasn't anything but our voices. We only have to wait fifty more minutes and then that's it. If we can just be silent until then, we'll be fine."

Everyone stood quietly in the back, trying to quell their rising panic.

"We must not look at goblin men," Dee Dee began, shattering the silence. "We must not look at goblin men, we must not buy their fruits. Who knows upon what soil they fed their hungry, thirsty roots."

"Not helping, Dee Dee," the Master snapped, shaking his head as the other humans took in sharp breaths.

"But that poem is very rare. She couldn't have known it!" Dee Dee protested.

"She's not a goblin or a monster," Professor Hobbes said. "She's just a very sick woman."

"Maybe that's why it went for her," Jethro suddenly said, causing the Master to glance at him considering. "I mean, when it started knocking she was the most terrified and it went straight for her. Maybe that's what it needed. That's how it got in."

"Right, fine, yes," the Doctor began. "I do think there is some kind of consciousness inside Mrs. Silvestry. But we need to stay back until help arrives, because maybe the next stage is becoming us and I don't want her becoming me or things could get a whole lot worse."

"Oh like your so special," Val scoffed.

"As it happens, yes I am," the Doctor replied, making the Master's eyes gleefully shoot up. He filed this particular line away for future use. "But right now, we need to wait. When the rescue ship comes we can get her to the hospital."

"I think we should throw her out," the stewardess hissed. "That thing took over Mrs. Silvestry and it killed Joe and Claude. If it's copying us and learning, what happens when we take it back to civilization?"

"We can't throw it out, we can't even open the doors," Biff snapped.

"Actually we can," Dee Dee finally said. "Crusader doors use a pressure seal. When we opened the front door we weren't pulled out, we had a couple of seconds. It takes the pressure door six seconds to collapse. That's enough time to throw someone out. I wouldn't try that door twice but this door should work."

"That's just what we needed, Dee Dee," the Doctor hissed, glaring at her.

"Would that kill her?" Val asked.

Dee Dee shrugged. "It might not kill the thing but it would certainly kill the body."

"No one is throwing anyone out!" the Doctor shouted, "Listen, for all we know that's a brand new life form over there. It might not even know what it's done. If we can get back and let me take a look at her, maybe I can find a way of getting Mrs. Silvestry back."

"But what if it spreads? We can't risk it!" the stewardess said. "If she gets any worse we are throwing her out!"

"If you do that, you'll have to go through me," the Doctor announced, glaring at them.

The stewardess glared back. "Okay. If we have to, we'll throw you out as well."

"Oh, now you won't be doing that," the Master interrupted with a laugh. "Because I wouldn't let you. And even if you did manage to kill the Doctor, none of you would live to tell about it."

"Are you threatening us?" Biff demanded, coming to stand directly in front of the Master.

The Master flashed all his teeth in a deadly smile. "Yes."

"I'd like to see you try," Biff snapped, causing the Master's eyes to light up, but Jenny quickly pulled them apart.

"Everyone calm down," she said. "The last thing we need right now is all this posturing! Mr. Kane please step away and as for you, Master, behave!"

"You actually call him 'Master?'" Val asked. "Is that even legal?"

"And you, Doctor, what kind of Doctor are you exactly?" Hobbes said.

"They just turned up out of the blue," the stewardess added. "Everyone else booked in advance but the three of them just showed up minutes before we left."

"Where are you from, exactly?"

"We're just travelers," Jenny replied, her eyes growing wide. "We came here on a whim and we hadn't planned anything out. We only bought tickets because we saw it on the pamphlet!"

"Really? You decided to come to a toxic planet just because?" Hobbes snapped. "I find that hard to believe. And even now, Doctor, you're bouncing around with a sort of... glee!"

"I'm interested, yes!" the Doctor admitted. "But that's only because this new life form is fascinating!"

"So you wanted this to happen."

"No!"

"And we saw you talking to the woman alone, we all did!" Biff shouted.

The Master scoffed. "He talked to all of you alone and I don't see the rest of you turning into her."

"But the wiring!" Dee dee said. "After we crashed you went into the box and opened up the wiring. How did you know how to do that?"

The Doctor's eyes widened. "That was after."

"Yeah," Biff added. "Why did you go straight there?"

"Because I'm clever!" the Doctor snapped. Everyone in the cabin stared at him in disbelief.

"Oh, so what does that make us?" Val snarked.

"You really do have a way with people," the Master remarked, looking amused.

"You've been looking down on us since the moment we walked in," Biff sneered. "You know what I think? We throw him out as well."

"Now stop it!" Jenny yelled after pushing the Master back as he started forward. "I understand that this is a very stressful time, but are you honestly suggesting killing him because he used a poor choice of words?"

"If we have to," the stewardess said coldly.

"Right, just... hold on," the Doctor began nervously, beginning to realize what the humans were thinking. "I know you're scared. I am too, but we all have to calm down and cool off and think!"

"Then perhaps you could tell us your name," Hobbes replied.

"What does it matter?"

"Why not tell us?" he asked again.

"John Smith," the Doctor replied automatically. Everyone in the cabin scoffed.

"What do you think we are, idiots?" the stewardess demanded, setting off another cascade of accusations.

"Now listen to me!" the Doctor shouted. "You need to listen to me right now because you need me! If we are going to get out of this, then you need me!"

"You've been repeating yourself more than her!" Hobbes yelled back before Jethro silenced them all.

"She's stopped," he said, staring at the creature. "Just look."

"When did she- No she hasn't she's still doing it," the Doctor murmured, seeing her lips move as his did. The Master frowned and went towards her. The creature remained still as all the humans spoke.

"Sky?" the Doctor said, following the Master. "What are you doing?"

"She's only still doing him," Hobbes announced.

"Brilliant observation," the Master snapped, trying to ignore the prickles down the back of his neck.

"Why me?" the Doctor asked. "Why are you doing this?"

"You're the oldest," the Master whispered under his breath so only the Doctor could hear him. "Maybe she's stealing life force?"

"If it was that, you'd think she'd be after Jenny," the Doctor muttered back, frowning as she continued following his words.

"They're together!" Biff exclaimed.

"No they're not!" Jenny protested.

"How do you explain it, then?" Hobbes snapped. "Since he's so clever, why doesn't the Doctor tell us why she's only repeating him?"

"I don't know," the Doctor replied. "I said stop it, just stop it!"

"Look at the two of them!" Val cried, causing the Master to round to her.

"Look at them what? Look at her singling out the Doctor and stealing his voice? He's not capable of keeping his mouth shut, why the hell would he willfully give up his voice?"

"Mrs. Silvestry, I'm trying to understand," the Doctor said, coming to kneel in front of her, watching as she continued to speak with him. "You've captured my speech. What for? What do you need?"

"Master, what's going on?" Jenny said quietly. The Master shook his head.

"You need my voice in particular," the Doctor continued, understanding lighting his eyes. "Because I'm the only one who can help? Oh, I'd love for that to be true but your eyes, they say something else."

"Something's wrong," Jethro whispered to Jenny, "Look at her eyes!"

"Listen to me, whatever you want. If it's life or form or consciousness or voice you don't have to steal it! I'll help you. Now what do you think," the Doctor paused, eyes widening as he saw her lips moving first. "Do we have a deal?"

"She finished first!" Jenny gasped as the Master stared at them in alarm. "She... he repeated her!"

"Oh," the creature said, flexing her neck as the Doctor echoed her. "Look at that, I'm ahead of you."

"Doctor, what's happening?" Hobbes asked. The Master knelt down between them, horror crossing his face as he saw the Doctor struggling and failing to move.

"I think it's moved," the creature said, smiling when the Doctor haltingly repeated her. "I think it's letting me go."

"Mrs. Silvestry, is that you?" Hobbes asked urgently.

"Yes," she said, flexing her fingers and arms. "Yes, it's me. I'm coming back. Listen, it's me!"

"It's transferred," Jethro said, staring in shock.

"No," Dee said, shaking her head. "That's not what happened."

"But look at her!" Val insisted.

"Look at me," the creature said, closing her eyes in delight as the Doctor echoed her. "I can move. And look at him, he can't move."

"Doctor?" the Master asked softly before pressing his fingers to his temples and closing his eyes.

_Scared scared so scared and now I can't move and Master don't risk yourself just make sure they don't throw me out I can't help but repeat whatever it is has stolen my voice I've lost all control and I might die Master you know what to do if I do and they trust it and not me and Master if it gets back to civilization it'll destroy everything I've seen it's fire and rage and its so dark and cold and-_

The Master tried to radiate calm and comfort. "Don't worry. I'll help."

The Master drew out and found only Jenny beside him. The rest of the humans had clustered around the creature, staring at the Doctor with fear and hatred.

"It's inside his head," the creature said, looking satisfied. "It killed the driver and it killed the mechanic and now it wants to use him to kill us."

"Do you even hear yourself?" the Master shouted. He stood up and marched over to it, grabbing it tightly by the arm. "The Doctor would never kill any of you!"

"It's waited so long in the dark and the cold," the creature continued. "Until you came with bodies so hot with blood and pain. Listen, just listen to him. There he goes."

"I can hear him say it!" Val exclaimed.

"Of course you can, you idiot!" the Master snapped. "He's repeating whatever she says!"

"But he's the voice," Biff insisted.

"No!" Dee Dee cried. "She is. He's not saying anything, she is! And she's draining him!"

"That can't be," Val said. "I saw it pass into him. I saw it!"

"I did, too," Biff added quickly.

"No you didn't!" Dee Dee cried. "You think you did but you're only making it up! I know what I saw and I saw her stealing his voice."

"Someone shut her up," Val hissed.

"But I know what I saw!" Dee Dee continued until the professor exploded.

"Shut up you stupid girl!" he shouted. "Acting like you're so smart with your mechanics and hydraulics, when I can tell you you are nothing more than average at best. Now shut up!"

"Oh, do you want to pretend you're the genius, Hobbes?" the Master sneered. "I assure you that when I say I was smarter than you when I was eight, I am grossly understating things!"

"That's how he does it," the creature said, grinning as it heard the Doctor's echoes. "Creeps into your head and makes you fight. Creeps into your head and whispers. Listen, just listen. That's him inside your head."

"Get him out of my head!" Val yelled. Jenny remained beside the Doctor, her hands fluttering uselessly when she couldn't get him to move. She became more and more panicked as the Doctor's face contorted with fear as she tried to brush his tears away.

"You're being useless!" Val continued, yelling at her husband. "Do something about it!"

"I will," Biff decided, stalking towards the Doctor. "I'm going to get him out."

"Yes!" the creature cheered. "That's it! Get rid of him. Now!"

Biff stormed past the Master and grabbed onto the Doctor and tried to heave him forward.

"You let go of him!" Jenny cried, jumping up. She shoved him away, sending him sprawling on the ground. "Don't touch him!"

"How the hell were you able to do that?" Val demanded before her eyes glared murderously at her. "You're just like him, aren't you?"

"He's my father!" Jenny shouted back. "I'm not going to let you kill him."

"If we take him back it'll spread," Val said, putting her hands on Jenny's shoulders. "We have to save everyone else. He'd want us to do that!"

"But he's not the problem," Jenny hissed before she heard grunting behind her. She spun around to see Biff grabbing hold of the Doctor once more. Jenny pulled herself out of Val's grip and jumped onto Biff, trying to get him to pull away as Val retrieved something from on top of one of the seat cushions.

"Jenny!" Jethro exclaimed, in shock. Jenny swung her head to look at him and Biff took the opportunity to wrench her off, throwing her into the torn seats. Her head slammed against an armrest.

"Jenny!" Jethro shouted again, pushing past his father to kneel down beside her. The Master growled and stepped forward.

"Oh no you don't!" Val announced, holding up the Master's screwdriver. "Try to stop them and I'll shoot her."

"Don't be stupid!" the stewardess exclaimed as Biff began to pull at the Doctor, getting the professor to help him.

"Jethro, get over here!" he barked.

"I think I'm bleeding," Jenny muttered, frowning as she found wetness on the back of her head. Jethro's eyes widened as he ignored his father. He pulled his sweatband from his wrist and pressed it on Jenny's wound.

"Put him down!" the Master started and Val fired a warning shot near Jenny's head, nearly hitting her own son.

"That's the way," the creature said, echoed by the Doctor's voice. "You can do it!"

"I don't know what you are but I will stop you," the Master hissed as his eyes fell on Mrs. Silvestry's hands. They were tapping a rhythm on her sides.

The Master knew that pattern. It had echoed in his head since he was a child. The drums.

Suddenly, something clicked into place and he understood.

"You're whatever was creating the drums," the Master hissed, turning to face her. "And now you're going after the Doctor."

"What?" Jenny asked. The Master glanced at the Doctor but he couldn't see his face.

"That's why you went after Mrs. Silvestry. After that traumatic break up she was falling apart. So you used her mental instability to get inside, because the Doctor's a bit stronger now, isn't he? Almost broken but not quite. Too bad, because I'm going to kill you first."

The Master leveled his screwdriver before he paused, seeing the faintly triumphant flicker in the creature's eyes. "No, that wouldn't work, would it? Because there's still one other person in this room who's still crazy enough for you to get in."

"Who?" Jenny asked after a moment's pause.

The Master's eyes never left the creature's. "Me."

"You're not-" Jenny began, but the Master held up a hand to stop her.

"No, I am. Ever since I was a child. Ever since..." and here the Master trailed off, remembering River Tam's words.

_"But you don't- you honestly don't remember. And you hate him because… Neither of you 'll remember when you'll need to. I won't tell you, Master. Deep down you already know it yourself. You're hiding from it. You always have been."_

And suddenly he could remember why he hated the Doctor and what happened that night. He remembered the anger and helplessness of being Koschei. He remembered when Theta ran away from him, never to return.

"You," he hissed at the creature. "It's your fault. Everything that's ever..."

"He doesn't love you," the creature reminded him. "You don't love him."

"That's because I can't," the Master replied. "I can, however, do this." He straightened his coat and tossed his screwdriver to Jenny, who caught it before staring at it in confusion.

"Master?" she asked, but he had already grabbed the creature and pulled it to the door. He hit the door open button and turned to the Doctor.

"Doctor!" he shouted, subduing the creature as it struggled to get away. "Goodbye. I'm sorry. Don't... forget me. Don't forget-"

And then the Master and the creature were torn from the compartment, the Master's last action to hit the button as he flew by, allowing it to slide closed behind them.

"No!" the Doctor shouted, half echoing the creature's dying words, half his own thoughts as the Master's consciousness was ripped from his mind. It was not like in the Library, when it had merely been muted or on the Valiant when it had slowly faded. No, this was sudden and wrenching.

"He's gone, he's gone, he's gone," the Doctor gasped, rolling to the floor. "He's gone, he's gone, he's gone, he's gone."

"Doctor?" Jenny's voice cracked as she helped him sit upright. Suddenly all his emotions rushed together.

"It was good this time!" he screamed, hands clenching into unbearably tight fists. "He was good. We were alone, we're the last ones. . It hasn't- not since we were children have we been able to... _It was good_!"

A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by heavy breathing and sobs.

"I said it was her," Val suddenly insisted.

The Doctor's head shot up and he glared at her murderously, but it was Jenny who broke.

"Shut up!" she shrieked, standing shakily. "You stupid woman, you ignorant- He's dead because of you! He died because you all killed him!"

"Jenny," Jethro said quietly, laying a hand on her shoulder. Jenny flung herself into his arms and sobbed into his chest.

"We didn't-" Val spluttered, but Jethro glared at her over the top of Jenny's head.

"Be quiet, Mum." He guided Jenny over to a seat and sat down beside her. The Doctor leaned against one of the armrests and stayed there, his blank eyes staring at the floor. No one moved until the rescue crew came twenty minutes later.

----

As they quietly filed into the rescue vehicle, the Doctor pressed his hand to the rear exit door and closed his eyes. He stayed like that for a minute, then he followed Jenny into the other Crusader. One of the men there checked them all for injuries, while another one pulled the stewardess to the side. He listened to her, writing notes down, before he gestured at the Doctor and Jenny as they sat side by side, Jethro sitting nearby.

"You're the Doctor, then?" the man asked. "Identification please."

The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper and held it up for the man who inspected it before nodding. "I'm sorry for your loss. Do you have Master's identification?"

"Not on me," the Doctor replied miserably. The man nodded and added a note to his paper before he turned to talk to his superior. Once back at the Leisure Palace, they were taken into a small waiting room, each of them interviewed before being allowed to return. As the Doctor was being questioned, Jenny sat waiting for him, watching as Jethro stormed past his parents when he was released.

"I hope you're happy," Biff snapped once his son was out the door. "You've turned him against us."

"If he's turned against you it's because he watched you try to kill an innocent man in front of his lover and daughter," Jenny replied coolly.

"We didn't know!" Val protested.

Jenny shrugged. "Neither did we. But we never tried to kill anyone."

"But-"

"Unless the next words out of your mouth are 'Words can't describe how sorry I am' then you'll want to leave now," Jenny replied, her lips in a thin, hard line. Val and Biff finally left and Jenny nodded good-bye to Jethro through the window.

When the Doctor finally emerged Jenny took his hand and they left to find Donna. She was right were they left her, sunbathing near a pool in a fluffy white bathrobe. When she heard them approach she looked up with a smile, but one look at the two of them and her faces told her something had happened.

Wordlessly she walked over and drew them into a hug, her arms tight on their backs as she ignored the tears dripping onto her robe. She held them there until they were ready to let go.

"What happened?" Donna asked once they were sitting at a table and the Doctor was ready to talk.

"I don't know," the Doctor replied softly. "Some sort of consciousness. It got a hold of me, scared the humans they... he died to save me."

"He said some weird things to it, though," Jenny said. "Like he recognized it."

"He might've known it from somewhere, though," Donna said. "I mean, there might have been something he'd read about that you hadn't."

"He was talking to it..." the Doctor admitted, brows furrowing. "What was he saying? I couldn't... I couldn't understand anything just then."

Jenny bit her lip in thought. "Drums, something about him being insane. He said something about protecting you from it."

"He died for me," the Doctor closed his eyes. "I never..."

Donna placed her hand over his and squeezed tight. "He wanted to protect you Doctor. And he did, didn't he? He probably saved everyone here."

"Yeah," the Doctor said quietly, nodding before he slowly stood up. "They want me to get his papers."

"Let's go see if they're in the TARDIS, then." Donna replied softly.

Jenny was the one who ended up piloting the TARDIS away, as the Doctor disappeared into its depths. They didn't see him for days and Donna was not surprised to see the Doctor's room empty and not slept in.

The Doctor's bed now seemed too large for one Time Lord.

**Next Time: The Final Battle Part I: Stolen Earth**


	15. The Final Battle Part I: Stolen Earth

**A/N: Hello all! Here we are with yet another chapter of Darkness. The second-to-last full chapter, actually, which is mind boggling to me! I would like to say first of all, thank you! I got a spike in reviews and I was surprised to see how many people were reading this. Also, I would like to apologize in advance, because RL is rather busy for me right now, and I might not be able to update quickly. I'll try!**

**Review Responses:**

**deaths-master: I want to hug the Doctor as well... thanks!**

**TrinaMarina: I don't think the Master is quite ready to be on bottom. Maybe later on in the series... **

**All-Stars: Aw, everyone will miss him. Thanks!**

**Bad Werewolf: Everything happens for a reason... but I didn't mean to post on EoT day! I cried! (Okay, I giggled at the slash, then I cried!) **

**.bunnyXX: Aw, thanks for reviewing!**

**Paper Kettle: I hope you didn't have to wait too long for this. Thanks!**

**QuartzSmokeyTygarWyldeTyler: Thanks!**

**Becca: I'm sorry it caused you pain, but thank you!**

**The Winged Lion of Coruscant: I think the Master is very protective, although it's more in the "No one can hurt him but me!" kind of way. I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

The TARDIS was silent and dark. Donna shivered as she left the kitchen, clinging to a warm cup of tea. She had seen the Doctor yesterday and he looked terrible. There were bags under his eyes and his face, usually lit up with energy, was filled with lines and grief.

Donna returned to her room and sat down at her desk, sighing before she pulled out her mobile. She entered in the number and waited.

"_This is Martha Jones_," came the voice out of the mobile.

"Hey Martha," Donna said, setting her tea down. "It's Donna."

"_Hello Donna_," Martha replied cheerfully. "_How're things going over there_?"

"Things were good for a while but then it all nose dived," Donna said with a sigh. "The Master's dead."

"_What_?" Martha exclaimed. "_How did that happen? Is the Doctor okay_?"

"I wasn't there, it was the Doctor and Jenny. They were on a tour a week ago and an alien attacked the Doctor. The Master saved his life."

"_The Master actually saved someone's life_?" Martha said quietly. "_This was a week ago? The Doctor's taking it hard, then_."

"I don't blame him. They were getting close," Donna replied, wincing at the silence over the line. She knew Martha was less than happy about the Master traveling with them, but she had hoped that their time spent on Messaline had helped that.

"_I'm sorry the Doctor had to lose him twice_," Martha finally said, her voice even and Donna rolled her eyes as she detected that carefully blank PR voice.

"But I'm worried about him brooding too long. He can't be left alone or he does stupid things. So I'm calling to, well to let you know so you don't mention it next time you see him, but also to see if you know anywhere we could go that might take his mind off things. Somewhere fun and happy," Donna explained.

"_Yeah, of course_," Martha paused. "_There's always Chinatown. I mean, it's a planet, it's just a worldwide chinatown. The Doctor once told me he always goes there when he needs distracting. We went there after we got back from England just before World War I. He said even he hadn't explored all of it yet._"

"Oh, sounds perfect. Thanks," Donna said, jotting it down on a piece of paper.

"_What about you, Donna. Are you okay?_"

"Just a bit weary. I actually miss the Master, conceited git and all," Donna sighed. "It's just... they were finally working out. And I have never seen the Doctor so happy. It's like when I first met him, just after he lost Rose."

"_I won't lie. I'm relieved the Master's dead, but the Doctor... well, when he loses people, he tries to go at it alone. That's not good for him. He gets dangerous when he feels like he has nothing else to lose._"

"He's an idiot, for a genius," Donna replied with a shaky laugh. "Anyway, thanks for the advice."

"_Take care of yourself, Donna_." Martha said before she ended the call. Donna grabbed the paper off her desk and stood up to find Jenny. She found Jenny and, more surprisingly, the Doctor in the console room. The Doctor looked up when Donna entered and grinned, bouncing around the controls.

"Donna! Just the woman I was looking for. Fancy a trip to Chinatown?" he asked, speaking with such bright mania that Donna could tell he was forcing.

"Sure," Donna said, crumpling up Martha's suggestion in her hand and shoving it in her pocket. "Sounds like great fun."

"It's not just one Chinatown, Donna. It's an entire planet!" the Doctor said. "Even I haven't explored all of it yet."

"Really?" Jenny asked, relief evident on her face.

"Oh yes," the Doctor said before frowning at the screen. "Hold on to that lever, things might get a bit-" he was cut off as the TARDIS began to shake and he darted around the controls. "There we go, good as ever."

"I'd hate to be in a car with you," Donna said, shaking her head as the Doctor landed the TARDIS and darted out the door.

"Is he alright?" Jenny whispered to Donna as they followed.

"He will be," Donna replied, stepping through the door and shutting it firmly behind them. Chinatown was crowded, a million sounds and noises engulfing them at once.

"It's a wonder you had any room to park!" Jenny shouted to the Doctor as they pushed through the crowded streets.

"I AM a wonder," the Doctor replied before dragging them over to a stall. "You have to try this!"

"I am going fat here, aren't I?" Donna asked before accepting the drink with a smile. At the Doctor's urging she took a sip of it, laughing as something sweet and rich hit her tongue. "Oh that's delicious!"

"You've got something on your nose, Doctor," Jenny said with a laugh, shaking her head when he just grinned unabashedly in response. Donna continued down the street, turning back every so often to make sure that the Doctor was fine. She didn't have to worry, because the Doctor loved explaining everything and Jenny loved learning. Donna smiled fondly at them and continued on her way, passing by a fortune teller.

'Tell your fortune, lady?" the fortune teller suddenly said, stepping forward. "See your future. Your life foretold."

"No thanks," Donna said with a shake of her head.

"Don't you want to see if you'll be happy?"

Donna glanced back at Jenny and the Doctor, who were now sharing a spiky fruit the Doctor had cut open, giggling like children as the juice ran down their chin. "I'm happy now, thanks."

"You have red hair," the fortune teller continued, smiling at her. "The reading is free for red hair."

"Oh all right," Donna said with a laugh. Free was free, and any who complimented her hair wasn't that bad. She never noticed the look the fortune teller gave her as they stepped into the tent, glancing back at the Doctor to make sure he didn't see them.

----

"This tastes so good," Jenny mumbled around a mouthful of noodles. She eyed the Doctor enviously as he expertly slurped his noodles down using only the chopsticks.

"They do know how to cook," the Doctor replied with a grin, returning his empty bowl to the vendor. Jenny did the same and hurried after him, looking around.

"Do you want your fortune told?" a woman's voice called out from inside a tent. Jenny turned to see an old woman, her face warm and wrinkled. "For travelers, it's free."

"Sure," Jenny replied, pulling the Doctor into the tent. The Doctor rolled his eyes but followed indulgently, taking a seat on one of the offered pillows.

"Give me your hands," the woman said nodding as Jenny held hers up. She lightly ran her fingers over Jenny's palms before she inclined her head.

"Young and learning, I see," she said. "A long life ahead, longer than mine. So much potential..." the woman trailed off. "Danger. Yes, danger at every turn. But not entirely unwanted, I think?"

"That's amazing!" Jenny exclaimed, her eyes growing wide.

"You've met River and still this woman manages to impress you?" the Doctor asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're skeptical, Doctor. I understand," the woman replied, smiling widely when he gave her an intrigued look of his own. "But my age has given way to wisdom, which has allowed me to energize my ability."

"So you can see into the future?" Jenny asked.

"Only what the stars have written," the woman replied cryptically holding out her hands to the Doctor expectantly. "Palms?"

"If I know my future now, it won't be a surprise when it happens," the Doctor replied, keeping his hands at his sides.

"Surprises, Doctor. There will be many surprises for you. What will return when you finally give in?"

"Can't say I know." the Doctor replied, his eyes beginning to harden.

"I sound too much like your master. He is not always wrong, Doctor. You must listen to the drums, or you cannot hope to stop them!" the woman replied, her own eyes sharp on the Doctor's face.

The Doctor stiffened. "How do you know about the Master?"

"I would not be worth my own salt if I did not. Your futures are entwined, it would be impossible to see one without glimpsing the other," the fortune teller replied.

"He's dead. He has no future," the Doctor hissed, his fingers curling into a fist. Jenny glanced between the two of them, nervous.

"There is always a future," the woman replied. Suddenly she shuddered and gasped, in time with the Doctor. Jenny frowned at them before she felt it as well. Something was Wrong, Wrong with time and the universe and it made her skin crawl.

"Your noble friend," the woman gasped. "You must find her. We will all be lost if she is lost."

"Donna?" the Doctor asked. He was up and outside of the tent, tearing down the narrow streets by the time Jenny had just opened her mouth.

"You must save him," the woman said as the Jenny stood up. "You must save him before he tears the universe apart!"

"Save who?" Jenny asked.

The woman shook her head. "I cannot see through the darkness and the storm."

Jenny bit her lip but nodded as she left the tent. "Thank you."

"Good luck!" the woman called after her. "Good luck to us all."

Jenny followed the Doctor down the street, tumbling into another tent as a terrified woman ran past them.

"Donna?" the Doctor asked as Donna stared in horror at a large insect on the floor. "Is everything okay?"

"Doctor!" Donna gasped, turning and giving him a hug. "I don't know what just happened but I felt... I felt I lost you!"

"Are you okay, Donna?" Jenny asked, only to be swept into Donna's arms herself.

"I'm fine. I was just... I don't know. That thing," Donna said, pointing to the black beetle on the ground. "Crawled onto my back. It made me replay the past year in my head. But everything changed there was... well, you were dead and the world sort of... ended. The stars in the sky were going out at the end!"

"It's one of the Trickster's Brigade," the Doctor said, picking it up and turning it over in his hands. "Makes little changes to the past. Normally it just affects little things and the Universe compensates around it, but not you Donna. Big parallel world for you."

"Hold on," Jenny said. "You said parallel worlds were sealed off."

"They are. But one was created around you, Donna. Not everyone can say that."

"It is me." Donna replied with a grin before turning serious. "But... I can't remember most of it. It's slipping away."

"It's like a dream now, Donna. Don't worry about it," the Doctor replied. "None of it ever happened now."

"Seems just like you Donna," Jenny said with a laugh. "Without you the entire Universe would change. You're just that brilliant."

"Hold on," Donna said, furrowing her brow. "That's what she said to me."

"Who did?" the Doctor asked.

"That woman!" Donna exclaimed "The woman who told me the stars were going out."

"That world is gone," the Doctor said comfortingly but Donna shook her head.

"No, she said it was affecting all worlds. Every world," Donna continued, trying to recall what she had been told. "She said the Darkness was coming, even here."

"Who was she?" Jenny asked, leaning forward.

"I don't know, she never said. She just said..." Donna sighed angrily. "Why can't I remember? It was important, I know it was!"

"What did she look like?" the Doctor asked softly.

"She was... youngish? And blonde, I know she was blonde."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "What was her name?"

"I don't know..."

"Donna," the Doctor said again, desperate. "What was her name?"

"Doctor?" Jenny asked nervously, but he ignored her.

"She said... she told me to warn you," Donna continued, concentrating. "Two words. Bad Wolf."

"What?" the Doctor gasped, a look of panic spreading over his face.

"What does it mean?" Jenny asked as he jumped up and bolted out of the tent, almost tearing the tent flap off as he tore past them. Donna and Jenny looked at each other helplessly before following him, running until they almost collided with him as he stared at his TARDIS.

"It says Bad Wolf," Jenny exclaimed when she saw the new writing on the TARDIS. She glanced around them. "All the signs here say Bad Wolf!"

"Doctor, what is it?" Donna asked as the Doctor yanked open the TARDIS door and hurried inside. She followed and gasped, the red light that pulsed through the console room was eerie and unnatural. "What's Bad Wolf?"

"It's the end of the Universe," the Doctor said, shuddering as a bell began to toll inside the TARDIS, low and deep. "That's the Cloister Bell. It only rings when the Universe is in mortal danger."

"So, what does that have to do with what I saw?" Donna asked, coming to stand beside him.

"I don't know, some changes on Earth, maybe..." The Doctor's eyes widened. "Earth!"

"What's on Earth?" Jenny asked as the Doctor began to frantically push on the controls, pulling the TARDIS away from Chinatown.

"Bad Wolf was born on Earth. Well, actually inside the TARDIS, but-"

"What's Bad Wolf?" Jenny asked. "And tell us properly, please."

"I had a friend. Rose, her name was. There were Daleks and it wasn't safe. I sent her home but she looked into the heart of the TARDIS and absorbed the energy of the Vortex. She became Bad Wolf to try and return to me but... it was dangerous. No one can hold the energy. She almost died."

"So if Rose was Bad Wolf, does this mean she's back?" Donna asked. "I mean, that's good, isn't it?"

"Depends what kind of Earth she returns to," the Doctor muttered, turning the screen around and slamming on the break. "Here we are!"

"But..." Jenny pushed open the door and stepped outside. "Nothing's wrong. Everything's fine."

The Doctor walked out past her, confused. "You're right. Nothing life ending, nothing even remotely dangerous here on Earth. So why the warning?"

"So I met your Rose?" Donna asked. "But, I thought you said she was in another world."

"She was. Which means if she can get back, than the walls of the Universe are weakening and _that _is a very bad thing. It puts everything at risk," the Doctor frowned and turned back into the TARDIS. "But how?"

"Maybe it really was a dream?" Jenny asked as she followed the Doctor and Donna back inside the TARDIS, closing the door behind her.

"Doctor," Donna said, following him around the console as he set up the controls. "I know this is bad, and everything, but Rose is coming back. That's good, isn't it?"

The Doctor paused and met her eyes before his face was lit up by a smile. "Yeah."

_This is good_, thought Donna. _This is just what he needs after-_

The TARDIS gave a jolt, sending everyone sprawling.

"Doctor, did you take off without me looking?" Jenny shouted as the shaking gradually stopped.

"It's not me!" the Doctor replied, taking off for the door. "It came from outside."

He pulled the door open and found only space looking back at him.

"You said we didn't move!" Donna exclaimed. "How are we in space?"

"We didn't move," Jenny called from the console, looking up from the TARDIS's screen with a pale face. "We have the right coordinates. It's the Earth that moved."

"What do you mean?" the Doctor asked, coming to look at the screen himself. "You're right. Earth's gone."

"How can Earth be gone?" Donna demanded. "I mean, planets don't just get up and move themselves."

"At least this one doesn't," the Doctor muttered.

"But if it has moved, what about the sun?" Donna asked. "What about my mum and granddad, are they all right or... are they dead?"

"I don't know Donna," the Doctor replied, glancing up at her before he continued to frantically tap at the controls. "I'm trying to find out what happened but there's not a trace. There's not even a whisperer. This is some really advanced technology. As in too clever even for me."

"But what do we do?"

"We're going to the Shadow Proclamation," the Doctor decided, entering coordinates into the TARDIS. "Jenny, you take care of that part there and we'll make this quick."

"What's the Shadow Proclamation?" Donna asked. "Can it help us?"

"Outer space police," the Doctor explained. "They might know something we don't."

"That wouldn't be hard. But will they share any information?" Jenny said, spinning the last dial as they landed. The Doctor put his long coat back on and stood outside the door, regarding the awaiting Judoon. Jenny hung back as the Doctor and Donna discussed planets and lost worlds with the Shadow Architect, gasping as the Doctor managed to turn the planets into an engine model.

"But, hold on," Jenny said, gesturing around them. "If they have the power to take planets out of time _and_ space, then they've got to know time travel. And even if they did, they'd still need enough technology to move the planets and put them somewhere undetected. Who has that knowledge?"

"Someone tried to move the Earth once before," the Doctor murmured. "But anyone who knew how to died in the Time War."

"The Time War is only legend," the Shadow Architect scoffed.

"Yeah? Well so were the Time Lords, but two of us stand before you, right now," the Doctor replied before turning back to Donna. "But there had to have been some warning. Was there something odd going on across the world? Too much rain, electrical storms or something?"

"I dunno, global warming?" Donna said shakily. "There was just... the bees disappearing, really."

"The bees disappearing," the Doctor repeated, unimpressed, before his eyes lit up. "Oh, of course! The bees were disappearing!"

"What does that mean?" Jenny asked.

"The bees must have sensed danger and went home!" the Doctor exclaimed, taking over the Proclamation's computer system and tapping away at the controls.

Donna gaped. "Bees are aliens?"

"Don't be daft, Donna, not all of them," the Doctor said. "But we can track them using the Tandoka scale, that's what they use to get home!"

"So if the bees remaining on Earth are still going home, then we can just follow the trail backwards and find the Earth?" Jenny asked.

"Exactly! I just have to adjust the TARDIS's scanner," the Doctor replied.

"Then stop talking and do it!" Donna shouted, tugging on their arms and running back to the TARDIS. Jenny set the controls while the Doctor spoke to the Proclamation before quickly shutting the door behind himself and flipping off the brake.

"Here we go!" the Doctor announced. "Let's see where this goes."

"Locked on," Jenny said. "All we have to do is keep it to level."

They traveled in silence, the only sounding the movement of the TARDIS. Suddenly she shuddered to a stop and the Doctor quickly checked the screen.

"It stops here at the Medusa Cascade," he explained, frowning as he looked at the screen. "But there's no planet here. No signs of anything."

"So what do we do?" Donna asked, holding back tears when the Doctor only looked at her blankly. "You never give up, don't you dare start now!"

"Donna..." the Doctor began softly. "It's not a matter of giving up. There's nothing I can do!"

"How can the trail stop here?" Jenny asked. "I mean, if it leads here, then wouldn't have to start from here?"

"Not unless they were inside it," the Doctor said softly before his eyes lit up. "Of course! They're inside it!" the Doctor's face fell again. "But... unless we can find a way though it we won't be able to lock on to Earth."

"Well how can we do that?" Jenny asked as a ringing tone began to sound in the TARDIS.

"Is that the mobile?" Donna asked as the Doctor grabbed it.

"Hello?" he said, frowning when he didn't hear any voices. "Well, it's a start."

"But if the signal from the phone can get through, does that mean we can as well?"

The Doctor grinned as he pulled out his stethoscope. "Just watch me."

"If we can follow it through..." Jenny began as the Doctor punched the air in triumph.

"I've got it!" he announced, grabbing for at the controls. "Hold on to something!"

"There's open flames!" Jenny shouted as she skirted away from her side of the console. The TARDIS was shaking harder than Jenny had ever seen, but she could feel the TARDIS was just as determined to get through as they were. Sparks rained down on them before they finally burst through and twenty-seven planets appeared on the TARDIS screen.

"But how did those planets hide?" Donna asked.

"The entire Medusa Cascade was put a second out of sync with the rest of the Universe," the Doctor explained. "But we found it!"

"Something's happening to the screen!" Jenny said, pointing at it as the image began to fade in and out. "Are we slipping back out?"

"No, no," the Doctor replied, adjusting the console. "It's some kind of subwave network."

The screen cleared to reveal four boxes, each containing a different set of people.

"Doctor!" a man called from the top right hand corner. "Where have you been?"

"It's the Daleks!" people began to shout over one another. "Doctor, it's the Daleks, they're taking people!"

"Oh, it's Sarah Jane!" the Doctor said, his face splitting into a grin.

"And Luke!" she replied cheerfully.

"And that must be Torchwood," the Doctor said. "Hello, Jack."

"And there's Martha!" Jenny exclaimed.

"It's like an out-of-space facebook!" Donna muttered.

"Everyone except Rose," the Doctor agreed as the screen cut out to static once more. "Wait a minute, there's one more signal. Is that you, Rose? Can you hear me?"

"Your voice sounds different," a scratchy voice began as the screen began to clear once more

"Yes, but his obsession with Earth girls remains," another smooth, horribly familiar voice added.

"No," the Doctor whispered, staring at the screen in horror. The picture panned out to reveal Davros in his Dalek support system. But next to him, alive and well and hiding behind his usual dark sunglasses, stood a pristine and grinning Master.

"He's dead!" Donna gasped. "I don't understand."

"We're both supposed to be dead, Miss Noble," the Master replied, chuckling at them through the screen. "Davros and I met in Purgatory and decided this would be a fabulous time for a comeback tour."

"How can he be alive?" Jenny asked shakily, her face mirroring the Doctor's stunned expression. "I watched him be pulled from the cabin. I felt him die in my head!"

"So silent, Doctor?" Davros asked. "Silence in the face of a new Dalek Empire? How unlike you."

"You're dead," the Doctor finally managed. "Both of you, obliterated to dust."

"Dalek Caan proved smarter than you, Doctor," Davros sneered. "He flew into the Time Lock unprotected. It cost him his mind, but he recovered us. I crafted the entire Dalek fleet from my own DNA."

"He has his Daleks, his children," the Master added, smirking at the screen. "After all this, who do you have? The Freak, a soccer mom, and UNIT's answer to affirmative action?"

"After all this time," the Doctor said quietly, staring at the Master. "After everything we saw, everything we lost. I have one thing to say to you." The Doctor found the handbrake and his face became hard with determination. "Bye!"

"Where are we going?" Jenny asked, trying her best to keep the TARDIS leveled.

"Earth!" the Doctor grit out, landing with a bang and darting to the door.

"It's like a ghost town," Donna said once they stood outside on the pavement, staring at the abandoned car and the drifting trash.

"The Daleks took the people," the Doctor replied before turning to Donna. "You met Rose in that other world, what did she say?"

"Just that the Darkness was coming," Donna explained. "She wanted to come back, but-

"We need to find her. If the Master's here he might go after her!" the Doctor hissed, his eyes widening in realization.

Donna smiled softly, looking over his shoulder. "Why don't you turn round and look?"

The Doctor turned and stared in amazement as Rose Tyler appeared at the end of the street. She looked back at him and smiled her warm smile, the one the Doctor missed so much. Rose began to run towards him and the Doctor found himself doing the same. Now he could protect her. Now he could protect everyone at once. And he had found Rose, his Rose, and _she_ hadn't returned to work with enemies. Finally something was working out-

A Dalek appeared from behind a bus and turned to them, and the Doctor fought wild panic and mild relief as it turned from Rose to fire at him.

_EXTERMINATE! _

He was down, the pain coursing through his side. Distantly he felt Jack, when did Jack get here?, Rose and Donna and Jenny and then he was in the TARDIS. He was hot, too hot, and his hands and his head felt like they would explode. And then they did, or he felt like it, and everything was healing and his cells were changing and-

No. He _liked_ being this Doctor, this version. He swung and aimed at his hand, the hand that had been there ever since Jack had returned to Torchwood. A DNA match. He poured his regenerative energies into it, waiting until he was completely depleted of it.

"Don't just stand there, let's get busy!" he shouted, turning to where his companions clumped together. They blinked stupidly at him and he grinned, turning back to the console as his mind quickly began to operate fully. A plan, that's what he needed right now. A plan.

A really, really good plan.

He didn't have one.

------

The Master turned away from the screen with a frown. The Doctor hadn't broken down like he thought he would. Interesting.

"He's trying to run," Davros said from his own dark corner, rolling himself forward.

"He's always running," the Master replied. "That's all he knows how to do."

"He won't get away," Davros announced triumphantly. "My Daleks have found his TARDIS. They are bringing it here."

"I'm aware of the plan," the Master said, closing his eyes. He could feel the Doctor getting closer. He could sense the humans too and their fragile little heartbeats. The Freak was there, standing in the middle of the TARDIS as a great big ball of wrong, but by the end of the evening none of that would matter. By the end of the evening, everything would be done and after nine hundred years he would finally win.

------

The Doctor was still trying to figure out a way to stop Davros and... and the Master, and keep everyone safe at the same time when the TARDIS's power was cut off. He ignored the way his hearts leapt into his throat and tried anything and everything to get her working again, but there was nothing to be done. He had to take all of his companions right to the Daleks. Right to the Master.

"Right, so we've been captured by the homicidal tin cans, yeah?" Donna asked. "Why do they want us?"

"They probably want the Doctor," Jack said before his face hardened. "And they're working with the Master. Now how did that happen?"

"We don't know," Jenny replied. "It doesn't make sense. He died!"

"Rose," the Doctor said suddenly, turning to her. "Your world is running ahead of this one, you've seen the future. What's happening?"

Rose shrugged, her eyes wide and helpless. "It's the Darkness. All the stars are going out and the dimension walls are weakening. That's how I was able to come here. All we see is darkness and all we can hear is the drums."

The Doctor stared at her. "The drums? What drums?"

"There's a signal being emitted from the Void. If you convert it to audio, which we managed to after a year's work, it sounds like a drumbeat. It's basically a repeating pattern of four," she drummed her fingers on the TARDIS's console. "Like that."

"Those are the Master's drums," Jack said after a tense pause. "How the hell can you hear that?"

"And what's sending it?" the Doctor asked before an alarm echoed throughout the TARDIS. "We're here. At the Crucible. Blimey."

"Let me bring something that can take down a few Daleks," Jack said as he reached for his gun, but the Doctor stopped him.

"No, I want to see what's going on. Maybe we can find a way to stop it. If you shoot first they'll kill us the second after you use it."

"Wait a minute, we're going out there?" Rose asked, her eyes widening. "Let's stay in here were it's safe!"

"It's not safe," the Doctor replied quietly.

"But you told me nothing can get through those doors!"

"Last time we faced the Daleks, they were a mad little bunch on the edge of space. This is a Dalek warship. They have the Master's information. Right now those doors are just wood," the Doctor paused and looked at them all, sadly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"I'm glad I'm here," Rose said quickly. "I want to be here."

The Doctor smiled at her, a warm, sad smile. "I know. I'm glad you came back, too."

"Daleks," Jack said, biting his lips with a humorless chuckle. "This will be nostalgic."

"Right," the Doctor said, turning to face the door and slowly opening it. "Here we go."

He slowly stepped through the door, facing the Dalek Emperor, Rose close behind him. Jenny and Jack followed behind and Donna stepped forward before the TARDIS screen caught her eye.

_BAD WOLF_

_BAD WOLF_

_BAD WOLF_

_BAD WOLF_

"We already know, we have her!" Donna whispered before frowning as the screen changed.

_THE DARKNESS_

_THE DARKNESS_

_THE DARKNESS_

_THE DARKNESS_

"What's that supposed to mean?" Donna asked as the Doctor called after her. "Coming!" she shouted back.

_THE DOCTORDON-_

Donna never had a chance to read the rest as the TARDIS door slammed shut.

"Doctor!" Donna shouted, running over to it and trying to yank it open. "Let me out!"

"Stop! Stop it!" Donna heard from behind the door. "She's my friend!"

She didn't get to hear the rest before the TARDIS moved from underneath her. The TARDIS was shaking and Donna felt like she was falling. Suddenly it was hot, too hot, and the TARDIS was burning around her as flames and smoke poured out of the grating and glass and sparks showered down.

It was hard to breathe, it was hard to...

Donna turned, seeing the hand. It was calling to her, a beacon amidst the destruction around her. Slowly, feeling as if she was in a dream, she reached out and touched it. Gold swirled around it and reached out to her, creeping along her arm and into her head. The world glowed brightly for a few moments.

Donna sat up in time to see the hand grow a golden body. The Doctor's body.

"You're back!" she exclaimed, eyes wide.

"Oh yes!" the Doctor replied, grinning triumphantly. Her expression mirrored his until her eyes accidentally dropped lower and she quickly looked away.

"You're naked!"

"Oh... yes!" the Doctor replied once again, before he threw himself towards the console and piloted away. She shook her head and pointedly stared in the other direction until he finally got the hint and got a spare suit.

She was not going to save the world with a nude Doctor.

---

The TARDIS was dying with Donna inside and the Doctor couldn't do a thing to save either one. He could hear the screaming in his head and he found himself breathing heavily, trying to block out the sound. Suddenly Rose was beside him, holding his hand and squeezing tight. That was why the Doctor cherished Rose so much. She was always there for comfort.

As the Dalek Emperor reached zero, the Doctor stared in despair. But the TARDIS didn't die in the furnace. The Doctor didn't hear her final scream. Donna must have remembered their lessons in one of her fits of genius and piloted it away herself. The TARDIS would automatically bring her home as part of the emergency programming. Now all the Doctor would have to do was make sure she had a safe home to go to.

Suddenly he heard gunshots and Jenny gasping as he turned to see Jack firing at the Emperor before being exterminated.

Rose was beside him in a second. "Oh my god, they killed him!"

"There's nothing we can do Rose," the Doctor said softly, pulling her up and away.

"Well that was rather dramatic of the Freak," a voice said from the shadows. The Doctor spun around to see the Master leaning against the wall with amused expression on his face. "Not a very productive way to go for a man like him."

"How dare you say that!" Rose hissed at him, her eyes narrowing. The Doctor placed a hand on her arm and stepped in front of her, trying to put himself between them.

"We haven't met, Miss Tyler. I am the Master," he replied with a dark smile. He turned to the Emperor. "I'll take them to the Vault. They're just playthings now."

"Oh, is this your end game?" the Doctor snapped as two Daleks rounded them up and made them follow the Master. "You work with the Daleks just to capture me?"

The Master merely smirked as they descended downwards into the Crucible. "Doctor, you will never guess my end game."

The Doctor said nothing else but he made sure he was the barrier between the Master and Jenny and Rose. He didn't know what the Master's plan was, or why he had let Jack escape unnoticed.

"Excellent," Davros rasped as they entered the Vault and were placed within holding cells. "Here you are, powerless."

"Really?" the Doctor asked, glancing around. "What about you? Here we are, eve of your plan, and where are you? Up on the bridge, taking control? No, you're tucked away down here. Like a slave, like a servant. No, I've got the word. You're the Daleks' pet!"

"Interesting choice of words, coming from you," the Master said from where he was leaning against a wall. "What exactly do you think your own purpose is?"

"Master, they are mine today," Davros said sharply.

The Master sighed loudly but didn't argue with him, leaning conspiratorially towards the Doctor. "We have a little agreement. He gets you during the day, I get you at night. All of you, actually, but I don't think I'll be touching Jenny. That's a bit too awkward even for me, shagging your daughter like that. But we'll see where the year takes us."

"You won't be touching any of us," Rose shouted as Jenny gasped in shock, her eyes spitting fire. "I'm not going to let you lay a bloody hand on me!"

"Oh, Miss Tyler," the Master replied, sauntering over to her cell so he could leer at her. "I don't need your permission to do anything. I'll do what I like."

"Stop it!" the Doctor growled lowly.

The Master turned and raised an eyebrow. "Don't get territorial on me. You traveled with her for over a year, you had any number of chances to make a move."

"I was promised all of the Children of Time would gather," Davros interrupted and the Master slid back into the shadows. "It was foretold by Dalek Kaan."

"The Darkness is coming!" Dalek Kaan giggled as Davros shone his light on him. "The endless fire of rage and destruction. It will be witnessed by his children as the universe kneels!"

"Oh, look at that!" the Master exclaimed from the corner as a large screen lit up with the twenty seven planets. The Doctor watched as they lit up, the atoms in their atmospheres moving together to emit massive amounts of energy. The Doctor glanced back at the Master only to see him oddly still and silent. He waved a hand before turning to look at the screen as a group of humans dissolved before their eyes.

"What happened?" Jenny asked nervously. "I mean, those people arn't..."

"Every atom is held together by an energy field," Davros replied gleefully. "The Reality Bomb cancels it out. Once it is released from this ship, everything else in the Universe, every dimension, every world, will be reduced to dust. All of creation will be Daleks, two Time Lords, and two humans."

"Working with them, after they destroyed everything!?" the Doctor roared, turning to the Master. "After everything they did to destroy our people, you're helping them win the Time War?"

"As I recall,_ you _were the one who destroyed our people, Doctor," the Master replied. "Or has your highly selective memory forgotten that?"

"The Doctor forgets the trail of bodies he leaves behind," Davros observed before turning to the screen once more. "And now we meet his weapons."

"What weapons?" the Doctor demanded as Martha appeared onscreen, threatening to blow apart the world to keep it from the Daleks. Then, as the Doctor could only gape in horror at her threat, Jack appeared with Sarah Jane, Mickey, and Jackie.

"Weapons," the Master repeated. "I told you. You turn everyday, small, pure little humans into genocidal killers. Martha Jones, you cursed me for tearing apart your planet and yet there you sit threatening to do the very same thing."

"That's... it's not the same!" Martha hissed, but the Master had already turned to Jack.

"And you, Captain. You blow that and you kill everyone. Yourself, the Doctor, Rose, and little Jenny here. All that, and for what?"

"We can see it now," Davros cackled triumphantly. "Look at what you have done here, Doctor. What would the human race be without you? Pure? Humans, the ones you protect so fiercely, now threaten the very destruction you live to prevent. Will you punish them as you do all others?"

"They've done nothing you haven't taught them," the Master said, pressing his hand against the Doctor's cell, causing the air around him to ripple blue. "And isn't that wonderful?"

"And all for nothing," Davros added. "Bring them here!"

"No!" Martha screamed as she was ripped away from Germany. They all were transported into the Vault and surrounded by the Daleks.

"On your knees," the Master ordered before laughing. "Oh, I love saying that."

"The time has come," Davros announced, turning his chair around to give the Emperor the order. "Detonate the Reality Bomb!"

"You can't do this!" the Doctor shouted. "Master, please listen!"

"Doctor, you know me," the Master replied leaning close against the wall. "I never listen."

The Doctor felt rooted to the ground as the planetary alignment field was activated and the planets glowed. the Reality Bomb roared to life, glowing green and horrible. He could hear all his companions gasping in fear and anger, felt the sadistic excitement from the Master and the maniacal triumph from Davros.

Just as the Doctor was about to leap at his cell walls, anything to get out and stop the massacre, the TARDIS materialized and the Doctor watched himself run out of it. No, not him, a human version. A human... his hand.

The other Doctor raised a weapon at Davros, but with one flick of his finger Davros sent him and his weapon flying into a corner.

"Activate holding cell," Davros said softly, adding to the rage the other Doctor glared at him with.

"Doctor!" Donna shouted, running out of the TARDIS to pick up the gun herself. She aimed it at Davros before floundering at the controls. "But... I don't know what to do!"

"I do," Davros sneered and hit her with a bolt of energy, sending her flying towards the Vault's console before he destroyed the weapon.

"I underestimated your warriors, Doctor," Davros said, chuckling. "They are persistent."

"Activate holding cell," the Master suddenly called, bathing Donna in a bright light and trapping her as she reached for the console. "We wouldn't want you poking round at the controls and stopping everything, would we?"

"You bloody bastard," Donna hissed, her eyes momentarily glowing gold. The Master grinned and blew her a kiss.

"Stand witness, Time Lords and humans," Davros began, turning back to the screen. "Your strategies and weapons have failed and now the end of everything has begun."

The Doctor ignored Davros, ignored everything. He focused only on the Master and desperately pressed his hands against his cell, trying to reach him.

"Master, please," he begged. "Stop this. I'm begging you properly, I'll do whatever you want, just stop it!"

The Master looked at him for one long moment and hope flared in the Doctor's hearts before the Master crushed it with an amused shake of the head. "Just watch, Doctor. This is one show I don't want to miss."

He could do nothing but watch as the countdown continued to zero and the Reality Bomb glowed brightly. A brilliant green light flashed out and everyone held their breath as it was unleashed across the universe.

**Next Time: The Final Battle: The Darkness has Arrived**


	16. The Darkness has Arrived

**A/N: Wow. Chapter 16. Here we are, almost done. I'm posting both at once, so this really is it. It's been a great time and I am so grateful to all the reviews people have left. It really kept me going when I was out of ideas and it's always nice to know that work is appreciated. **

**Just a small note, before reviews: The Doctor is the Doctor. The doctor is handy/10.2/!Doctor**

**Review Responses:**

**The Winged Lion of Coruscant: The Master is my favourite character, I'll admit. You can probably tell :)**

**Miharu-desu: The Master is certainly made of some tough stuff, as you'll soon see. **

**Lizzieee1234: Here ya go!**

* * *

_"Stand witness, Time Lords and humans," Davros began, turning back to the screen. "Your strategies and weapons have failed and now the end of everything has begun."_

_The Doctor ignored Davros, ignored everything. He focused only on the Master and desperately pressed his hands against his cell, trying to reach him._

_"Master, please," he begged. "Stop this. I'm begging you properly, I'll do whatever you want, just stop it!"_

_The Master looked at him for one long moment and hope flared in the Doctor's hearts before the Master crushed it with an amused shake of the head. "Just watch, Doctor. This is one show I don't want to miss."_

_He could do nothing but watch as the countdown continued to zero and the Reality Bomb glowed brightly. A brilliant green light flashed out and everyone held their breath as it was unleashed across the universe. _

Green light washed over them and the Doctor winced. He kept his eyes on the screen, waiting to see the planets dissolve before his very eyes.

Nothing happened.

"What is the meaning of this?" Davros shouted.

"That'd be me," the Master announced, stepping out of the shadows. "I'm afraid I tampered with things a bit."

"What do you mean?" Davros hissed, rolling forwards.

"I programmed it to latch onto everything derived from your DNA. Meaning, every piece of scrap you call a Dalek is going to dissolve into dust. Well, except yourself and Dalek Kaan over there. Don't worry, I'll give you a proper send-off."

"Dalek Kaan, did you not see this?" Davros shouted, rounding on the insane Dalek.

"I saw nothing but the Darkness and the terrible, terrible cold. All roads lead here and there is no escaping!" Dalek Kaan giggled as the screen changed to reveal the entire army of Daleks disintegrating into dust and dropping out of the air.

"You stopped them," the Doctor said quietly, but he wasn't feeling relief. There was something wrong here.

"I did," the Master replied before turning back to Davros and Kaan. "Now, as for you two, I'll send you to where you would have gone if I had not been here."

"What are you talking about?" Davros snapped.

"The Doctor was always meant to come here," Kaan announced. "To destroy the Daleks and save the Universe. But the Darkness got here first."

"And the Darkness will send you on your way," the Master replied and waved his hand. Davros and Dalek Kaan simply disappeared like they had never been there.

"What just happened?" Jenny asked as the Master waved another hand and their holding cells were deactivated. "Master, what did you do?"

The Master smiled tightly and removed his dark glasses. "My name is not the Master."

The Doctor couldn't mute his sharp intake of breath at the sight of the Master's eyes. Dark, red energy sparked in them, their normal brown completely blotted out.

Donna frowned before she nodded quickly. "Right. Who are you, then?"

"Miss Noble, one would think you would have figured it out already with your new Time Lord brain."

"I think I know," Donna replied, her gaze sharpening. "But I want to hear it and I pray to God I'm wrong."

"My name is the Darkness," he replied pleasantly. "I believe you've heard of me."

"The Master's the Darkness?" Jenny asked hesitantly.

The Darkness leered at her. "Oh my dear girl, no. The Master died."

"You're using his body," the Doctor said coldly, crossing his arms across his chest. "Why?"

"Oh don't pout at me, the Master's in here, somewhere," the Darkness replied. "I brought him back to life to use his body."

"How?" Jack asked, breaking the tense silence that followed his announcement.

"Like this," the Darkness replied, moving his hand through the air causing a trail of red sparks. "Right now the Master is waking up in a rather posh hotel with a note beside him telling him to go to the Oodsphere. And right now," he added, waving his hand again. "He's waking up as the Darkness."

"What are you?" Rose asked. The Darkness turned to look at her and raised a hand up. The Doctor was in front of her in a second.

"Don't you touch her!" the Doctor hissed.

The Darkness raised his eyebrows, looking faintly amused. "I was merely going to answer her question, Doctor. She should know something about it. It has happened to her once before, after all."

"Once before?" Rose asked, peering around the Doctor. "What do you mean?"

"When you looked into the heart of the TARDIS you absorbed the Vortex energy there and became Bad Wolf. Bad Wolf wasn't Rose Tyler. Not the same person. Just a piece of the same soul," Donna explained softly. "But I don't think he's powered by the Vortex."

"Clever," the Darkness replied. "I'm disappointed to see that the human part of your brain really does make you smarter."

"Was it the sun on Midnight?" the Doctor asked.

"Oh, no. I've been waiting much longer than that," the Darkness replied. "I've waited almost nine hundred years for this."

"For what?" Martha asked quietly. The Darkness grinned and suddenly there was a pressure on all of them that forced them to sit on the floor.

"Story time!" the Darkness announced cheerfully, the only one in the Crucible still standing. "Tell them of the Untempered Schism, Doctor."

"It's a gap in the fabric of time and space," the Doctor replied automatically, his eyes never leaving the Darkness.

"Tell them when you first saw it."

"All Time Lords are taken from their families to look into the Untempered Schism at the age of eight. It's done to terrify the children, to know what the power of time looks like when unchecked."

"So that they want to grow up and be good little citizens," the Darkness continued. "Most become inspired. But not you, Doctor. What was it that you did?"

The Doctor swallowed thickly. "I ran."

"You ran," the Darkness repeated. "What were you running from?"

"I don't..." the Doctor trailed off frowning. "What do you mean?"

"I know what you were running from," the Darkness continued, coming to stand in front of the Doctor. He threaded his fingers through the Doctor's hair and pulled, making him lean forward. "You looked into the Schism and saw me. And you ran."

"Nothing could survive in the Schism," the Doctor gasped.

"Precisely why I was banished there."

"Who banished you?" Jenny asked.

The Darkness barely glanced at her. "Those long gone. But the point is, I was waiting. Time Lord after Time Lord paraded in front of me, each one so boring and insignificant. But one day, a boy called Theta Sigma looked in and I looked right back."

"Theta Sigma..." Donna whispered.

"Who's that?" Rose asked.

"Me," the Doctor said softly as the Darkness released his grip. "It was my childhood nickname."

"You don't know how _delicious _your mind is, Doctor," the Darkness said, licking his lips. "So brilliantly beautiful. You were practically born to be broken. What your mind is capable of... Look at what it's doing right now!"

"What?" the Doctor managed, his voice a mere whisper.

"You haven't broken yet. Anyone else who would have ended the Time War, endured so much for so long when so very alone, would have broken."

"I'm not going to go insane because of you," the Doctor snapped but the Darkness merely laughed.

"Doctor, you can't break. Your mind is so... flexible. It can bend and stretch without collapsing. You could probably go insane or snap, but break? Lose all function and become an empty husk? No, that's something you're incapable of. The one being in the Universe who could sustain me without going mad."

"What does this have to do with the Master?" the Doctor asked. "If this is about me, why drag him into this?"

"Because when I reached for you you were too quick for me," the Darkness replied with an irritated sigh. "You ran away and I thought I lost my chance. But then, as it happened, another boy looked into the Untempered Schism. A boy named Koschei." The Darkness paused, and smiled, showing all of his teeth. "Not quite as good as Theta Sigma, but good enough. Entwined with your own fate and able to support me until I could get to you. Not myself in full power, obviously. I had to lay dormant until I had an opportunity."

"You're the drums," the Doctor finally realized. "You're what's been following him around. But why now?"

"Oh, don't think I didn't try. But it would be suicidal to try an attack when you were a full Time Lord and the Time Lords themselves were at the height of their empire. Even then, the Master was irritatingly good at holding me off. He has managed to do it for these past nine hundred years. I might have underestimated him. I don't think he ever understood what I was, but he figured out enough to know I was aiming for you. He did anything he could to keep you safe."

"I... what?" the Doctor stammered, his mouth going dry. "When?"

"On the Valiant. He died, you know, because he heard what the drums wanted. He died because he knew that you wouldn't be safe locked up all alone together in the TARDIS. The Time War had left you far too wounded for even you to withstand an outright attack."

"He refused to regenerate..." the Doctor remembered. "And then later, on Messaline he couldn't."

"Oh, I might have thrown in a little punishment when I brought him back for defying me for so long. I tried my luck again on Midnight," the Darkness replied. "You might not have noticed, but Midnight has certain... properties. It allowed me enough entrance to leak through. I theorized that if I could capture your thoughts, that would be enough and I could have held Sky Silvestry's body. Unfortunately the Master recognized me and dragged me away. Dragged us both away, when he remembered that last night at the Academy."

"What last night at the Academy?" the Doctor asked quickly. "Nothing happened that night."

"Oh, that's right. You don't remember," the Darkness laughed, gleefully vindictive. "You fled Gallifrey as fast as you could, but poor young little Theta couldn't bear to remember. So you forgot."

"Forgot what," the Doctor hissed, because the Darkness's words rang true. Something was telling him that he _had_ forgotten something. Something important. "Tell me!"

"I'll do you one better," the Darkness sneered. "I'll show you."

Suddenly the Doctor was shrinking, shoved into a much younger body. He was no longer the Doctor, instead he was....

_Theta was excited, so excited. Tomorrow he and Koschei would leave and do everything they had planned to do. Travel the stars with Koschei by his side, that was something Theta had been looking forward to all these years. Eagerly he opened their door, realizing with a grin that this would be their last night at the Academy, only to find the room dark. Odd,he knew that Koschei was here._

_"Koschei?" he asked, turning the lights on. He looked around and saw Koschei curled up on the floor, not moving._

_"Koschei?" he asked again, slowly coming closer before putting a hand on his shoulder. Koschei's head snapped to face him and Theta saw burning eyes before he was tossed to the ground. He barely had time to think before Koschei was on top of him, hands pinning his wrists. For one terrible moment Koschei looked down at him with wild eyes before they softened and looked at Theta with horror._

_"Oh Rassilion, Theta, I'm sorry," he said as he slid off. _

_Theta rubbed his wrists and watched him, wide-eyed. "What was... what's wrong?"_

_"I don't know," Koschei said in a small voice. "I've been having headaches and nightmares but it was never this bad before."_

_"What's happened?" Theta asked again, moving to comfort Koschei and frowning when the other boy shied away._

_"I have these urges, you have no idea what they're like." Koschei shut his eyes and let his head rest against the side of Theta's bed, looking pained. "They're coming frequently now and getting harder to control."_

_"Urges to what?"_

_Koschei opened his eyes, looking straight at Theta. "No. I'm not telling you."_

_"Koschei, please," Theta replied, leaning forward. "You're scaring me." _

"_Scaring you? Good. I _should _scare you," Koschei said, laughing humorlessly before falling quiet again. _

"_Tell me what's wrong." Theta crawled towards him, eyes wide and imploring. "Kosch, you can trust me."_

"_I trust you," Koschei said roughly, turning away. "This isn't about... I trust you more than anyone else."_

_Theta slowly reached out to the other boy and pulled him into his arms. Koschei followed after a moment of hesitation. He buried his face in the crook of Theta's neck and Theta realized they both were shaking._

"_Something's wrong with me," Koschei admitted finally. "I can't- there's something in my head."_

"_Something in your head? But I've been in your head and you've been in mine. Just not...," he paused and frowned at Koschei. "Not lately." _

"_I couldn't. Couldn't let you in."_

"_You can always let me in. Whatever's wrong, we'll figure out once we start traveling."_

_Koschei's head shot up and he backed away from Theta, eyes wide. "No, we can't. I can't travel with you, be _alone_ with you for so long." _

"_I-" Theta swallowed thickly, trying not to show how hurt he was. "Why not?"_

"_I just can't," Koschei mattered, but Theta was too determined._

"_Why?" he demanded. _

"_Because I want to hurt you!" Koschei shouted, flinching at the volume of his own voice. "Every time I'm around you, I have these urges."_

"_But..." Theta faltered before his face set in determination. "I don't care, I trust you."_

"_But I don't trust myself. Even now," Koschei continued, picking up a thin dagger that he had bought years ago. Theta watched him warily, wondering why it had been so close at hand. "I want to take this and make you bleed, Theta. There are voices and they want..." Koschei's voice cracked and he flung the dagger into a dark corner. "I can't risk it."_

"_I'm not leaving you," Theta replied stubbornly, squaring his jaw. "I'm not doing it." _

"_You have to. It's not safe," Koschei hissed._

"_I don't care!" Theta whispered back sharply, following him across the room. _

"_Listen to me-" Koschei began urgently, but Theta stopped him._

"_Whatever's wrong we can fix it. Together. Tomorrow we are going to fly off as the Doctor and the Master."_

"_Just listen to me-"_

_Theta shook his head and placed his hands on Koschei's shoulders. "No. Not this time. You don't even-"_

"_I said _listen_!" Koschei roared and pushed Theta down to the ground. His head slammed against the floor and, before he could react, Koschei's hands were around his throat, squeezing. _

"_You never listen to me. Never, never, never, never, never!" Koschei growled. Theta thought the boy's eyes were flashing, but there were black spots in his vision. Koschei kept applying pressure, pushing all the right points as Theta's secondary respiratory system began to fail. "You talk and don't hear. There's always so much noise from you and in my head!" _

"_Ko-sch..." Theta tried, trying desperately to get air into his lungs. _

"_So pretty with your eyes wide open," Koschei murmured before his eyes lost their mania and faded into their usual warm blue. It was Koschei's turn to widen his eyes and he let go with a wild cry, tearing himself away and bolting across the room. Theta lay on the floor gasping, tears running out of his eyes as he embraced the cool air._

"_Run," Koschei finally said. "Get as far away from me as you can and just run."_

"_I don't... Koschei!" Theta gasped, his voice hoarse. _

"_I said run!" Koschei screamed. He grabbed something heavy from his bedstand and lobbed it at Theta. It shattered inches away from his head. Theta scrambled out of the room, his heart pounding, while Koschei quietly turned off the light and curled up into a ball, behind him. _

Violently the Doctor was pulled out of the memory and he realized he had been sobbing.

"Doctor!" Rose exclaimed softly from his side. The Doctor looked up to see the terrified faces of all his companions and he was sorry, he really was, but he couldn't focus on anything else right now.

"The Master forgot that too," the Darkness added, vicious laughter spelling from his lips. "All he knew was that after graduation the newly minted Doctor flew off into the universe without him. An ultimate betrayal, if you will. He didn't remember until Midnight what happened. He didn't know and that's why he hated you."

The Doctor's fingers curled into a fist as the Darkness's laughter echoed in his ears. He never could remember why he left Gallifrey but this, this he knew was no false memory. The Master hated him for this, he had never truly forgiven him. And the Doctor and the Master could have traveled the universe together if it weren't for the Darkness. They wouldn't have been enemies, they never would have parted.

"Do you see?" the Darkness asked softly. "You can't hide from me, Doctor. That you've managed to this far is nothing short of a miracle, seeing as how woefully lacking the Master was."

"Don't you dare," the Doctor hissed, trying to stand up against the pressure the Darkness had put on them all. "The Master is brilliant and his mind is beautiful and however much you decry him, like it or not, he still held you off for nine hundred years!"

The Darkness's eyes flashed and suddenly the Doctor felt like he was on fire, every nerve's ending in his body firing off at once. He couldn't think beyond the blinding pain and it was worse than anything he had ever felt before. It was compounded with the knowledge that the Master had been tortured for centuries by the Darkness in an attempt to protect him. When the pain finally receded the Doctor realized he had been screaming as he writhed about on the floor. He heard a horrified shout and dully tipped his head back to watch Donna run into the TARDIS, the Darkness laughing after her.

"Yes, Donna Noble, retreat into the TARDIS. See if you can hide!" the Darkness called and the Doctor lurched forward, trying desperately to keep his attention off her and save her from the same treatment.

"You... you ca-" The Doctor swallowed thickly and continued when he was sure that he had the Darkness's attention. "I won't let you."

"Oh my dear, woefully naive Doctor," the Darkness replied with a cold laugh. "Do you honestly think you can win?"

"If the Master held you off, so I can," the Doctor grit out. "He will not have suffered in vain."

"How noble of you," the Darkness mused before gesturing to the companions around him. "But look, I gathered all of your favorite people!"

"Why did you work with the Daleks?" Martha suddenly asked, her chin in the air to hide her shaking. "If you were all powerful, why didn't you just find the Doctor instead of making all of us go through hell?"

"Oh, Miss Jones, this would have happened anyway, with or without me being here," the Darkness replied. "I merely watched for pure amusement."

"I won't-" the Doctor hissed once more once his breathing evened out. "You won't win."

The Darkness smiled indulgently. "Doctor, I already have."

He grabbed the Doctor from behind his neck and pulled him into a brutal kiss, his teeth biting at the Doctor's lower lips. His eyes flashed and he begun to pour his energy into the Doctor.

"You're mine," he growled, releasing his mouth but maintaining his connection as it flowed from the Master's eyes into the Doctor's. "And I will be all powerful. The Destroyer of Worlds. The End of Time itself!"

The Doctor felt as if he was drowning, as if he was chocking. Briefly, for a moment, he thought he was Theta again and he felt Koschei nearby and he flung out his arms to try and reach him, but then he was gone and swallowed by the Darkness. The Doctor felt detached and sounds began to filter into his consciousness.

"Doctor, you have to-"

"-what's wrong with him-"

"-to help!"

"-kind of barrier, I can't reach them-"

"-where's Donna? Does she know-"

"-worry, Doctor. We're coming!"

The Doctor couldn't turn his head. His eyes were held open by some invisible force as the Darkness invaded his body. Suddenly the Doctor felt as though he was rising. He rose above his own body and looked down at the scene below him.

The Darkness was holding him up by his coat lapels, his lips curling into a feral grin as the energy flowed into the Doctor's own body. The Doctor distantly noted that his mouth was open and he realized the roaring in the background was his own screaming. He turned to look at his companions to see a barrier of dark, red energy preventing them from moving forward. Jack and Mickey were grabbing every spare piece of metal and throwing them against the wall, trying to break through. Jenny was running her hands along it, trying to find any crack. Martha and Sarah Jane bounced theories of each other, trying desperately to come up with a plan. Rose had taken one of the Dalek guns and was shooting it in a never ending stream, a determined look on her face holding back the tears in her eyes.

The Doctor took a deep breath, feeling himself slipping away. He didn't want to go like this, with a Master who was not in control and all his companions at a madman's mercy.

The TARDIS door was flung open and everyone turned in unison to stare as a golden light lit up the Crucible. Donna stepped out, her eyes swimming with golden energy as a gentle but firm smile stretched across her face.

"Sorry for being late," she said, coming to stand in front of the Darkness's wall. "It took me a while to sort out the clues I left myself."

"Clues?" Jenny asked. "What happened to you?"

"I looked into the heart of the TARDIS," Donna explained. "Took me a second to realize that the TARDIS was trying to tell me that the Darkness and Bad Wolf were the same kind of being. But for the plan to work, we needed someone with a Time Lord brain. And here I am, the DoctorDonna."

The DoctorDonna held her hand up and pressed it against the dark barrier. Golden light poured from her hand and the wall collapsed. The Darkness's head jerked up, breaking the connection with the Doctor's body. The Doctor was violently yanked back into his body, gasping as he settled back in.

"Sorry to interrupt," she said cheerily as the Darkness released the Doctor. He sank to the ground and Rose was there in a second, helping him up.

"You are not going to stop me at my moment of glory," the Darkness hissed, flexing his hands as if he was considering to blast Donna with Void energy.

"Oh, that won't work on me," the DoctorDonna replied with a laugh. "You couldn't even see me coming because we can't see each other's timelines, can we?"

"I can still hurt them," the Darkness snarled, turning to where Rose and Jenny were standing side-by-side. He was determined to hit the Doctor where it would hurt most.

"Really?" the DoctorDonna asked, shaking her head. "Never learn, do you?"

The Darkness glowered at her. "I will not-"

"Be defeated? Yes, yes we all heard. But do you want to know something? You're powered by the Void."

"So?" The Darkness's eyes flashed red.

"So I can do this," the DoctorDonna said, turning to the Doctor. The Doctor hadn't moved since the Darkness had released him, the negative energy making his body burn. Even now, as Rose and Jenny kept him upright, he was desperately trying to maintain control. The DoctorDonna gently placed a hand to his temple and allowed her own Vortex energy to flow into the Doctor. He stiffened, the spike almost boarding on physical pain before relaxing as she pulled away. The Doctor gasped, suddenly finding all the energy gone.

"You get your energy from the Void, whereas I'm powered by the Vortex," the DoctorDonna announced with a grin. "Opposite energies. My energy neutralizes yours.

"And that is your plan?" the Darkness sneered. "We both have unlimited power. You're wasting your time."

The DoctorDonna laughed before leaning forward slightly. "Here's the thing. Donna wants me here so I can save everyone."

"And?"

"The Master held you off for nine hundred years, didn't he?" the Doctor Donna asked, smiling when the Darkness frowned. "He obviously has more than enough ability to kick you out, should the opportunity arise."

"He's just a Time Lord," the Darkness hissed, but he still looked alarmed.

"He's the Master," the DoctorDonna corrected, her grin sharpening as she cracked her knuckles. "Bet you that's enough."

Without another word they flung themselves at each other, gold and red flowing out of eyes and hands. They clashed, blinding light flaring up as a deafening roar rumbled through the air. The Doctor tried to look through the haze but saw only the two shadows weaving around the Crucible.

The Darkness stopped short, catching the DoctorDonna off guard. He hit her square in the stomach, sending her flying before he turned to the Doctor.

"I will not _lose_!" he hissed and threw all of his energy out, ripping itself out of the Master's body. The Doctor saw the Master's eyes roll back into of his head as he crumpled to the ground, unmoving. The dark energy reached out for the Doctor and he felt as if a million knives were pricking his skin at once. A gold burst cut through his vision and it swallowed the Darkness, moving at a speed even the Doctor had a hard time processing.

There was a silence as the Doctor and the DoctorDonna stared at each other, the Doctor breathless and so very grateful.

"Brilliant," he finally managed.

"Every time," the DoctorDonna returned before stumbling toward the TARDIS. The Doctor tried to stand to follow but found no strength in his legs. The door of the TARDIS flung itself open and the Crucible was bathed once more in golden light as Donna returned the Vortex energy to the heart of the TARDIS. After a long pause she emerged, grinning triumphantly.

"Part Time Lord, part human," she announced. "All the capacity of a Time Lord to hold it and just enough human stubbornness to maintain control."

"I can see why he likes you," Rose said as the Doctor carefully staggered to his feet. The Doctor turned to look at his wonderful companions before he eyes fell on the still body on the floor.

"Master!" The Doctor was at his side in a second. "Wake up."

"Doctor..." Donna began gently, but the human doctor cut in.

"He lived with the Void energy for too long," he said coldly. "His body may function but his mind is likely gone."

"What?" Jenny asked. "But he's alive. The Darkness said he brought him back."

"He needed a vessel," Donna explained gently before glaring at the doctor. "And you should show a little more respect. He's died for you."

"He helped the Daleks," the doctor replied. "He let them attack the Earth and enslave the other planets just because he thought it'd be amusing."

"That was the Darkness and you know it. They're separate people," Donna said as the Doctor pressed his fingers to the Master's neck.

"He has pulse," the Doctor announced weakly, bending over the Doctor's head.

"I'm sorry," Rose finally said when the Master made no response.

"Master," the Doctor whispered, his eyes beginning to glass over. "You need to wake up. You won." He trailed off, despair setting in the pit of his stomach. "I've lost you too much. And I know what you've done for me, everything you sacrificed and... it's not worth it if you're not here!"

The Doctor waited, staring at the Master's frozen body before his own chin dropped to his chest.. The Doctor squeezed his eyes shut, trying to accept that he would never see the Master alive and well again.

The Master stirred before weakly opening his eyes. "Could you stop whimpering for five minutes?"

"Master," the Doctor gasped, relief lighting up his face.

"Indeed," the Master replied before he trailed off, looking troubled.

"What is it?" the Doctor asked, worried that there was something the Darkness had left behind.

"There are no drums," the Master replied slowly. "It's quiet. I don't... I didn't know silence was so _loud_."

The Doctor let out a gasp that was half relief and half hysterical. He buried his face in the Master's neck and breathed in his scent to confirm that, yes, the Master had survived. The Master stilled before he hesitantly squeezed the Doctor's hand reassuringly before he sat up and looked around at the Crucible and the obvious Dalekanium in the room.

"What did I miss?"

--

Getting the planets home was easy enough after the two Doctors and Donna took over the Crucible's controls. And soon the Doctor was piloting himself away, every so often glaring at the doctor or glancing softly at the Master. When the Doctor stepped outside to say goodbye to the companions from this Earth, Rose pulled the Master aside and crossed her arms.

"So," she began, clearing her through awkwardly. "You two have been together."

"Yes," the Master answered shortly, far too weary to bother being difficult. He felt empty, in a way, and he was still getting used to living with only his thoughts to keep him company in his mind.

"Was he happy?" Rose asked softly, her eyes big and focused on his face. The Master looked away, suddenly feeling far too uncomfortable. He had dreamt of this moment for so long, planning on rubbing it in her face, maybe even popping into her mind and depositing a few of his own memories so she would know exactly how the Doctor liked to beg. But now he couldn't because it didn't have the same sport. He was going to lose the Doctor, he had lost Gallifrey, and now he had lost the drums, the only other thing that had ever been constant in his long life. He was glad the drums were gone, but now... he had nothing, beyond his own inevitable death, to depend on.

"Yes. But he... he missed you. More than was healthy, more than he should have." The Master sighed. "Time Lords are raised to be detached for a reason. With our lifespan, attachments only end in pain."

"As long as he's happy," Rose said softly, looking away with tears in her eyes.

The Master raised his eyebrows and chuckled, even though he found no humor in this situation. "I wouldn't worry, Miss Tyler. He'll put your happiness long before mine."

"Didn't you go to school together?" Rose asked. "Weren't you his first... love?"

"Theta and Koschei died a long time ago. Only the Doctor and the Master remain and I," the Master paused, swallowing thickly. "I am not a good man. I'm evil. I've murdered millions of living things over the years and the Doctor never stops keeping track."

"You can be saved," Rose said after a moment, her eyes as soft as her touch as she lightly lay her hand on his arm. "That's what the Doctor does."

The Master cursed and yanked his arm away because he hated Rose Tyler so very much but if he snapped, the Doctor would probably kill him without remorse. There were some people in the Doctor's life he would do anything to protect, and the Master knew he wasn't one of them.

"The Doctor can't help me," the Master replied truthfully as the other doctor noticed them talking and rushed over, quickly ushering Rose away as he glared at the Master over his shoulder. The Master didn't follow, didn't care, because soon he was going to be alone. The Doctor returned to the TARDIS and set the coordinates for the alternative universe. He didn't glance at the Master again until he was holding open the door for Jackie and Rose so they could say good bye.

The Master stayed in the TARDIS while the Donna followed the two Doctors out, leaving only himself and Jenny in the echoing console room.

"I'm glad you're safe," Jenny said after a long silence before smiling. "I'm glad you're alive."

"I'll spend more time dead than alive at this rate," the Master replied, sparing her a small smile. Jenny returned it before her face faltered, looking concerned.

"What's going to happen now?" she asked, sounding so young and vulnerable. The Master didn't answer, knowing that he would leave the TARDIS soon after Rose moved back in. He hadn't changed, he knew it, he was just too exhausted to do anything but that wouldn't last forever. The moment he gave Rose a dirty look or made a veiled threat the Doctor would boot him out, probably placing him on some backwater planet or making UNIT play babysitting agency.

He was surprised when the Doctor and Donna entered the TARDIS alone, no doctor or Rose Tyler in sight. The Master quickly realized what he had given her; a family, a husband who she could grow old with, children who weren't hybrids forever doomed to be sterile, and a doctor who was done with traveling. The Master was right, he had chosen Rose's happiness over his own. He just wasn't expecting that they would mean the same thing.

"Right then," Donna said, her voice too loud and too brash. The Doctor and the Master winced, knowing what this meant. Jenny bounced along the console eagerly, oblivious to the fire in Donna's mind. "Where are we going to next?"

"Earth," the Doctor said softly.

Donna's face fell but she plastered on a smile. "Eventually, yes, so Mum and Granddad know I'm alive. But I want to travel first!"

"Donna," the Doctor began as she doubled over, gasping as pain wracked her body.

"Donna?" Jenny asked, alarm coloring her voice. "What's wrong?"

"She's a human with a Time Lord consciousness," the Master explained gently. "She's like CAL, she doesn't have enough space."

"But what does that mean?" Jenny demanded and Donna looked up at her, regret filling her eyes.

"Oh, Jenny, I'm sorry," she said, reaching forward and pulling her into a hug. Jenny sensed that something was wrong, that this was a good bye, and she clung to Donna, holding tight. "You're brilliant, you really are."

"Donna, you know what we have to do," the Doctor said, hovering just behind them.

"I know," Donna replied, gently pulling away from Jenny. "And you have to do it, or I'll burn."

"Wait!" the Master shouted as the Doctor reached for Donna's temples. "You're going about this the wrong way."

"I have to erase her memories, Master," the Doctor said sharply and Jenny's eyes widened as she realized what was happening.

"You have to erase the Time Lord," the Master corrected, knocking the Doctor's hands away. "If you weren't so dramatic about all this you'd see that."

"What do you mean?" the Doctor asked, frowning as the Master pressed his own fingers to Donna's head. The Master merely breathed deeply and dived in, calming Donna as she whispered her last goodbyes to the Doctor and Jenny. He bobbed along to where the DoctorDonna was burning brightly in her mind like a fireball.

Slowly, carefully, he compressed the Time Lord consciousness to a minute speck and buried it as deep in her mind as he could without damage. Her memories he filed away, freeing up space while allowing her to forget specifics, like the Doctor's phone number or other... vigorous... times in the Doctor's life when he "danced", sometimes with the Master and sometimes with others.

_Master_, Donna called up as the Master prepared to leave, urging her mind into a peaceful sleep.

_Yes?_

_Leave when I wake up. I'll have these memories but I won't understand them anymore. I'll come after you._

_I'm more than capable of avoiding one temp from Chiswick, no matter how bizarrely talented she is. _

_Be careful. Take care of the Doctor. He needs someone._

_We all need someone, Donna,_ the Master replied gently, but there was more warmth in his tone than he'd ever admit. He slowly withdrew, carefully picking his way to the surface. The Master stumbled backwards and the Doctor caught Donna as she fell, carefully picking her up while the Master and Jenny silently piloted the TARDIS back to Earth. They stood watching while the Doctor brought her to the door and faced Wilf and Sylvia's panicked faces. Jenny sniffed miserably and left for her room and the Master realized that Donna had been like a mother to her. A mother she could never see again without risking her life. The Master knew the feeling. When the Doctor returned to the TARDIS, soaking wet with a shattered the face, the Master waited quietly on the console seat until the Doctor felt strong enough to sit beside him.

"Thank you," the Doctor said softly. "For saving us, Donna, and... me."

"It seemed like the thing to do at the time," the Master replied lightly, taking off his coat and wrapping it around the Doctor's shoulders, because there was no way he was going to end this little venture with a sick Doctor nursing a runny nose.

The Doctor accepted the coat. "So. Here we are."

"Yeah," the Master muttered. They both thought of everything that had ever happened, how everything they had ever done was fueled by one moment neither of them had remembered. The Doctor almost wished he could forget again because this raw truth was more painful than the false reality they had lived in until now.

"Onwards?" the Doctor asked after a long pause, leaning against the Master. The Master was silent then nodded.

"Onwards."

-----

Donna heard the TARDIS dematerializing as she opened her eyes. The events of the past few days flashed through her minds and she realized that they were leaving her behind because they were afraid she would burn.

"I won't burn, that doesn't even make sense!" she exclaimed and bolted off her bed and past an alarmed Sylvia and Wilf. She wrenched open the front door just as the last of the TARDIS faded from view and she ran after it, out into the rain, slipping on a puddle and crashing to the ground.

"I am going to bloody kill those two!" Donna shouted, wiping mud off her cheek, every curse she knew running through her head.

"Are you all right?" a male voice asked. Donna turned to look at him, finding a slightly amused man holding an umbrella in one hand and the leash to his dog in the other.

"No, I'm not all right!" she snapped. "Those two flew off without me because they think my head'll explode if I meet them again. Which it won't, because why would my head explode simply by seeing them? Maybe in irritation, but that should have happened a long time ago."

"Here," the man replied, switching the leash to the other hand so he could help her up and out of the puddle.

"You must think I'm bonkers," Donna said with a sigh. "Head exploding and all that."

"Since I woke up this morning, there have been earthquakes, new planets in the sky, and aliens from above. I just watched a blue policeman's box disappear right in front of my eyes," the man replied with a shrug. "Exploding heads is the most believable thing I've heard."

"All that and you're still walking your dog?" Donna glanced down at the mutt in question and smiled at the adorable face that looked up at her.

"He needs to go to the bathroom, no matter what galaxy we're in," the man explained, shaking his head.

"Don't we all?" Donna asked before wincing at her choice of words.

"I'm Shaun," the man said after he had finished chuckling. "Shaun Temple."

"Donna Noble," Donna replied before she groaned. "God, now I'm going to have to get a job! I can't even put 'Spaceman Assistant' on my resume, can I?"

"I'm sure you'll find other talents. I, for one, make the best chocolate cake in the world."

"Those are fighting words," Donna said, a grin finally making it's way onto her face. "What do you say to a little friendly wager?"

Shaun Temple laughed, having no idea that he had just gained a new recipe and a new wife.

**Next time: Epilogue: And Now, Sleep and final author's notes. **


	17. Epilogue: And Now, Sleep and Final ANs

**Epilogue:**

The Doctor and the Master took Jenny to Donna's wedding and stood out of her sight as they watched her become Donna Temple-Noble. They would start Noble Temple Publishing, Inc. with the money they would won from a lottery ticket left as an anonymous gift from someone who dropped by during their wedding party. Donna knew who it was, however, and the intricate circles within circles on the envelope were saying, she was sure, _good luck. _

But watching Donna get married wasn't easy on anyone, because the Darkness had claimed at least one casualty in their lives. Jenny spent her time in the TARDIS library, studying so that she could know almost as much as her father. She hoped to learn the mental Time Lord's tricks from the Master so that she would never be unable to help a friend again.

The Doctor and the Master met again on the Doctor's bed, their mouths greedy and soft. They knew how close they had come to losing each other forever, how close they had been to a different life. They pressed their skin together as their minds became one, basking in each other's feelings and sensations until they were both tired and satisfied.

Normally they would have slept fitfully, but knowing Donna was truly happy, that she was out in the universe being magnificent, was more than enough for the Doctor to be happy. He lay there with the Master in his no-longer-too-large bed and happily drifted off to sleep, drowsily taping fingers on his lover's back where it curled, exposed, as the Master had pressed his stomach against the Doctor's side as he slept. They both lay there, too far gone to actually think, too far gone to realize that the Doctor's fingers were tapping a drumbeat on the Master's side.

_Fin_

**NOTE: The sequel, Through Darkness and Storms, is now posted. Thanks!**

**Final Author's Notes:**

What can I say? This has been such a long journey filled with frustrations and plenty of rewatching of old episodes. My love of the Doctor and the Master has grown, and Jenny herself when from a character I hated to one I adored. As much as it hurt to give Donna the same ending (Donna!), she loved Shaun and I'd never take that away from her. I'd like to thank everyone who has ever been beta for this, most recently Meg and qaffian_luvr. They stepped in when no one else could and allowed me to finish this fic. Betas are love, and I shudder to think what fandom would be without them.

**FAQ (Since I promised a few people I'd answer these questions when we were done!):**

**What inspired you to write this fic?**

It was mainly inspired by an icon that had the Master and the Doctor snarling at each other while electricity ran between their eyes. I thought, "Hmm, that looks awful familiar," and the plot took off from there.

**Did you use a lot of themes from EoT in your ending?**

Actually, everything that happened in the end (with the exception of Shaun Temple... although I did always plan on Donna meeting her future husband, I just didn't know the show would give me a name!) was already decided several months to a year before the specials aired. Now I'm not surprised the show used them- it was made very clear that what was in the Master's head was real- but I was a little disapointed to see it used anyway.

**Who is your favorite character?**

The Master, hands down. I love the Doctor, I really do, but he's a bit of an arrogant git sometimes. The Master is too, but he doesn't hide it. I also think that the Doctor did leave the Master behind on Gallifrey and that that is the real reason why the Master hates him. (It's my personal canon) He loved someone, and they ran away. I think the Doctor regrets it now, but I also don't think he realized the damage he did until it was far too late.

**Do you ever intend for either Doctor or Master to regenerate? What about Jenny?**

I don't think the Doctor and the Master can stay in one regeneration for too long. Someone says or does something stupid and gets killed. Will I eventually bring 11 in to play? Probably, once S5 starts and I can get a sense of his character. As for the next Master, well...

Jenny's a different situation. We don't know if she is able to regenerate, or if what happened on Messaline was a delayed regeneration. Maybe she's more akin to Jack? (Oh dear, I didn't really answer this at all, did I? Well, to be blunt: I don't even know!)

**Is there a sequel on the horizon?**

Well... yes, but not right away. I have a few other fics I have to finish before I can start a new project.

Once again, thank you! (And if anyone has any other questions, tell me and I'll put them up and answer them!)


End file.
